Kennet School

Kennet School continues to perform well overall, maintaining a 'Good' rating since its last inspection, which was labeled 'Outstanding'. It is part of the Equinox Learning Trust, adding a collaborative element to its management. The school offers a broad, ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of its diverse student body, supported by a strong emphasis on personal development and pastoral care. Students, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), thrive academically and socially, showcasing high-quality work and engaged learning experiences.

Strengths

• Strong inclusive environment that understands pupils as individuals.
• Extensive range of extra-curricular activities fostering community.
• Outstanding support for pupils with SEND.
• Impressive approach to reading that develops confident readers.
• Effective pastoral care and personal development programs.
• High standards of pupils' conduct and positive school culture.
• Thoughtfully designed training for staff enhancing teaching quality.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent application of behavior management policies by some staff.
• Occasional disruption to learning from off-task behavior.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Kennet School attended 90.8% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 22.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 6.9% of pupils at Kennet School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 4 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Kennet School had 15.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 14.8% of pupils at Kennet School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.7% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Kennet School received £8,139 and spent £7,961 for each of its 1,815 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £672,000 (£370 per pupil).

Across all 3 schools of Equinox Learning Trust, income was £7,496 and spending £7,299 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Thatcham · West Berkshire local authority: places and applications

Kennet School is part of Equinox Learning Trust, which runs 3 schools. The nearest others:

• Francis Baily Primary School Thatcham
• Whitelands Park Primary School Thatcham

What is Kennet School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Kennet School is Good, from an inspection in July 2024.

When was Kennet School last inspected by Ofsted?

Kennet School was last inspected in July 2024.

How many pupils does Kennet School have?

Kennet School has 1,824 pupils on roll.

What age range does Kennet School cover?

Kennet School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Kennet School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 48.0, and 48% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Kennet School?

Kennet School is at Stoney Lane, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG19 4LL.