Astor Secondary School
| Type | Secondary / Academy converter |
| Age Range | 11-18 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Astor Avenue Dover Kent CT17 0AS |
| Phone | 01304201151 |
| Reference Number | 138167 |
Astor Secondary School demonstrates a strong commitment to personal development and wellbeing, offering tailored support and a wide range of enrichment activities that help pupils build confidence and social skills. Currently, leadership has shifted towards a more effective approach, focusing on improving academic outcomes, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. However, there are still notable challenges in achieving better performance in national examinations and attendance rates, which remain a concern. Overall, efforts are being made to enhance the educational experience and results for all students.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 770 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 46.75%
Girls: 53.25% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 61.4% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 16.8% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 17.9 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 62 | 53 | 115 |
| 8 | 74 | 69 | 143 |
| 9 | 64 | 76 | 140 |
| 10 | 75 | 77 | 152 |
| 11 | 56 | 83 | 139 |
| 12 | 17 | 26 | 43 |
| 13 | 11 | 26 | 37 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 73.1% |
| White, Other | 8.6% |
| Mixed, Other | 5.3% |
| African | 2.3% |
| Asian, Other | 1.3% |
| Indian | 0.8% |
| White & Asian | 0.4% |
| Unclassified | 0.3% |
| Pakistani | 0.3% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 0.1% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.1% |
| Irish | 0.1% |
| Caribbean | 0.1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Needs attention |
| > Leadership & Governance | Needs attention |
| > Personal Development & Wellbeing | Expected standard |
| > Achievement | Needs attention |
| > Attendance & Behaviour | Needs attention |
| > Curriculum & Teaching | Needs attention |
| > Inclusion | Needs attention |
| > Post-16 Provision | Expected standard |
| Last Report Date | 10 Mar 2026 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 10 Mar 2026 | School inspection |
| 31 Oct 2023 | School inspection |
| 06 Jul 2021 | Monitoring visit |
| 04 Mar 2021 | Monitoring visit |
| 03 Nov 2020 | Monitoring visit |
| 28 Jan 2020 | School inspection |
| 13 Nov 2018 | Monitoring visit |
| 19 Sep 2017 | Full inspection |
| 25 Jan 2016 | Monitoring visit |
| 26 Mar 2015 | Full inspection |
| 10 Aug 2012 | Academy conversion letter |
| 18 Oct 2011 | Full inspection: |
| Previously as Astor College (A Specialist College for the Arts) | |
| 18 Oct 2011 | Full inspection: |
| 28 Jan 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 28 Jan 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 03 Apr 2008 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 03 Apr 2008 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 26 Jan 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 26 Jan 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 28 Feb 2000 | Full inspection |
| 28 Feb 2000 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Safeguarding standards are met, contributing to a safe environment.
- Strong pastoral care tailored to individual pupil needs.
- Effective personal, social, and health education curriculum.
- Wide range of enrichment activities available to all pupils.
- Inclusive post-16 provision that meets diverse student needs.
- Leadership actions are beginning to positively impact pupil confidence and skills.
Areas for Improvement
- Historically low achievement in national examinations.
- High rates of persistent absenteeism affecting pupil achievement.
- Inconsistencies in curriculum delivery and teacher assessment.
- Disadvantaged pupils are not achieving as well as they should.
- Leadership did not respond quickly enough to key priorities for improvement until recently.
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 27.9 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 10.1% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 19.4% |
Attainment 8 Score
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Sample
UnlockPoints
| Points | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Points | 22.82 | ||
| Average Points (best 3) | 25 |
Grades
| School | Local | Nationwide | |
| Average Grade | D+ | C | C+ |
| Average Grade (best 3) | C- | C+ | C+ |
| Percentage | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students getting AAB or better | 0% |
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 69 | 15 |
| Third Preference | 84 | 3 |
| From another Local Authority | 0 | 0 |
Previous Years
Sample
UnlockDestinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
| Unknown |
| Name | Distance |
|
St Martin's School
Markland Road, Dover, Kent, CT17 9LY |
0.21 miles |
|
Vale View Community School
Vale View Road, Elms Vale, Dover, Kent, CT17 9NP |
0.31 miles |
|
Priory Fields School
Astor Avenue, Dover, Kent, CT17 0FS |
0.39 miles |
|
White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School
St Radigund's Road, Dover, Kent, CT17 0LB |
0.42 miles |
|
Barton Junior School
Barton Road, Dover, Kent, CT16 2ND |
0.87 miles |
|
Shatterlocks Infant and Nursery School
Heathfield Avenue, Heathfield Avenue. Dover Kent, Dover, Kent, CT16 2PB |
0.9 miles |
|
Charlton Church of England Primary School
Barton Road, Dover, Kent, CT16 2LX |
0.96 miles |
|
Aycliffe Community Primary School
St David's Avenue, Dover, Kent, CT17 9HJ |
1.01 miles |
|
St Richard's Catholic Primary School
Castle Avenue, Dover, Kent, CT16 1EZ |
1.06 miles |
|
Dover, St Mary's Church of England Primary School
Laureston Place, Dover, Kent, CT16 1QX |
1.25 miles |
|
Green Park Community Primary School
The Linces, Buckland, Green Park Community Primary School, Dover, Kent, CT16 2BN |
1.33 miles |
|
River Primary School
Lewisham Road, River, Dover, Kent, CT17 0PP |
1.33 miles |
|
Guston Church of England Primary School
Burgoyne Heights, Guston, Dover, Kent, CT15 5LR |
1.61 miles |
|
Temple Ewell Church of England Primary School
3-4 Brookside, Temple Ewell, Dover, Kent, CT16 3DT |
2.01 miles |
|
Whitfield Aspen School
Mayfield Road, Whitfield, Dover, Kent, CT16 3LJ |
2.25 miles |
|
Lydden Primary School
Stonehall, Lydden, Dover, Kent, CT15 7LA |
3.3 miles |
|
Capel-le-Ferne Primary School
Capel Street, Capel-le-Ferne, Folkestone, Kent, CT18 7HB |
3.55 miles |
|
Langdon Primary School
East Langdon, The Street, Dover, Kent, CT15 5JQ |
3.57 miles |
|
St Margaret's-at-Cliffe Primary School
Sea Street, St Margaret's-At-Cliffe, Dover, Kent, CT15 6SS |
4.16 miles |
|
Shepherdswell Church of England Primary School
Coldred Road, Shepherdswell, Dover, Kent, CT15 7LH |
4.64 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Dover Grammar School for Boys
Astor Avenue, Dover, Kent, CT17 0DQ |
0.12 miles |
|
Elms School
Elms Vale Road, Dover, Kent, CT17 9PS |
0.54 miles |
|
Dover College
Effingham Crescent, Dover, CT17 9RH |
0.82 miles |
|
Dover Grammar School for Girls
Frith Road, Dover, Kent, CT16 2PZ |
0.94 miles |
|
St Edmund's Catholic School
Old Charlton Road, Dover, Kent, CT16 2QB |
1.05 miles |
|
The Sallygate School
Channels & Choices, Kearsney Manor, Alkham Road, Temple Ewell, Kent, CT16 3EQ |
1.68 miles |
|
Dover Christ Church Academy
Melbourne Avenue, Dover, CT16 2EG |
1.7 miles |
|
Duke of York's Royal Military School
Duke of York's Royal Military School, Dover, Kent, CT15 5EQ |
1.96 miles |
|
Portal House School
Sea Street, St Margaret's-At-Cliffe, Dover, Kent, CT15 6SS |
4.11 miles |