Welling School

Welling School has demonstrated areas of strength especially in post-16 provision, where leaders respond well to student feedback and adapt study programs effectively. The sixth form shows consistently effective teaching, helping students achieve their goals and prepare for their next steps. However, the school faces significant challenges, particularly in key stage 4, where achievement has historically been weak, with outcomes below national averages across all prior attainment groups. Disadvantaged pupils, in particular, face barriers to achievement, and attendance rates remain a concern despite some improvements over time.

Strengths

• Effective post-16 provision with a broad study offer including medicine and sport.
• Consistently effective teaching in the sixth form.
• Leaders are responsive to student feedback.
• Pupils typically feel safe and supported.
• Enrichment opportunities are highly valued by pupils.

Areas for Improvement

• Achievement at key stage 4 is consistently below national averages.
• Disadvantaged pupils' progress is lower than their peers nationally.
• Overall attendance rates are below average.
• Inconsistent quality of teaching in Years 7 to 11.
• Pupils with SEND struggle to engage fully with their learning.

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 Welling School attended 87.8% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 39.6% 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, 17.8% of pupils at Welling School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 7 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 Welling School had 18.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 22.3% 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, 15.4% of pupils at Welling School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

The school has resourced provision with 11 pupils.

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 Welling School received £9,994 and spent £10,407 for each of its 1,092 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £490,000 (£449 per pupil).

Across all 45 schools of The Kemnal Academies Trust, income was £8,501 and spending £8,452 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 Bexley · Bexley local authority: places and applications

Welling School is part of The Kemnal Academies Trust, which runs 45 schools. The nearest others:

• East Wickham Primary Academy Welling
• Shenstone School Crayford
• Royal Park Primary Academy Sidcup
• Cleeve Park School Sidcup
• Cleeve Meadow School Sidcup
• Kemnal Technology College Sidcup
• Gray's Farm Primary Academy Orpington
• Horizon Primary Academy Swanley
• Orchards Academy Swanley
• Stapleford Abbotts Primary Academy Romford

What is Welling School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Welling School is Needs attention, from an inspection in April 2026.

When was Welling School last inspected by Ofsted?

Welling School was last inspected in April 2026.

How many pupils does Welling School have?

Welling School has 1,084 pupils on roll.

What age range does Welling School cover?

Welling School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Welling School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 36.4, and 32% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Welling School?

Welling School is at Elsa Road, Welling, Kent, DA16 1LB.