Christ Church Cep Academy, Folkestone

Christ Church Cep Academy in Folkestone is performing well overall, achieving a 'Good' rating across all areas evaluated during the inspection. The school is noted for its supportive and caring environment, contributing to pupils' happiness and positive attitudes towards learning. The leadership is committed to high expectations, promoting an inclusive atmosphere where every child feels valued. Parents appreciate the efforts made by the staff, highlighting the welcoming community and strong relationships fostered within the school. While the curriculum is well-structured and ambitious, there are areas requiring improvement to ensure that all activities align closely with intended learning objectives.

Strengths

• Strong focus on developing pupils' communication and vocabulary skills.
• Effective phonics teaching in early years.
• Positive, trusting relationships between staff and pupils.
• Broad and ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with SEND.
• Emphasis on reading and encouraging a love for literature.

Areas for Improvement

• In some foundation subjects, activities are not always well-matched to the intended curriculum.
• Lack of precision in some areas regarding improvement for pupils with higher SEND needs.

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 Christ Church Cep Academy, Folkestone attended 93.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 19.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

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, 0.5% of pupils at Christ Church Cep Academy, Folkestone were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No 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 Christ Church Cep Academy, Folkestone had 19.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.8% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

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, 19.7% of pupils at Christ Church Cep Academy, Folkestone were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.7% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

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 primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Christ Church Cep Academy, Folkestone received £7,386 and spent £6,954 for each of its 414 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,235,000 (£2,983 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 Folkestone · Kent local authority: places and applications

What is Christ Church Cep Academy, Folkestone's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Christ Church Cep Academy, Folkestone is Good, from an inspection in January 2023.

When was Christ Church Cep Academy, Folkestone last inspected by Ofsted?

Christ Church Cep Academy, Folkestone was last inspected in January 2023.

How many pupils does Christ Church Cep Academy, Folkestone have?

Christ Church Cep Academy, Folkestone has 411 pupils on roll.

What age range does Christ Church Cep Academy, Folkestone cover?

Christ Church Cep Academy, Folkestone for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Christ Church Cep Academy, Folkestone's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 76% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Christ Church Cep Academy, Folkestone?

Christ Church Cep Academy, Folkestone is at Brockman Road, Folkestone, Kent, CT20 1DJ.