School of Science and Technology Maidstone

The School of Science and Technology Maidstone demonstrates outstanding performance in its first inspection, highlighting its strong commitment to high expectations and a broad, ambitious curriculum. Students are well-supported academically and emotionally, thriving under a culture that fosters respect, innovation, and personal development. The leadership team has established effective systems for safeguarding and fostering a positive learning environment, with notable engagement in extracurricular activities that enrich students' educational experiences.

Strengths

• Outstanding quality of education across all inspected areas.
• Exceptional support for students with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Strong emphasis on a broad curriculum including science, technology, engineering, mathematics, arts, and reading.
• Impeccable pupil behavior and a culture of respect.
• High levels of student engagement in extracurricular clubs and activities.

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 School of Science and Technology Maidstone attended 93.4% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 16.1% 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, 5.8% of pupils at School of Science and Technology Maidstone were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 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 School of Science and Technology Maidstone had 18.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 15.4% 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, 18.8% of pupils at School of Science and Technology Maidstone were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 4.8% 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 School of Science and Technology Maidstone received £7,084 and spent £6,566 for each of its 953 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,753,000 (£1,840 per pupil).

Across all 9 schools of Valley Invicta Academies Trust, income was £7,135 and spending £6,722 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 Maidstone · Kent local authority: places and applications

School of Science and Technology Maidstone is part of Valley Invicta Academies Trust, which runs 9 schools. The nearest others:

• Valley Park School Maidstone
• Invicta Grammar School Maidstone
• Valley Invicta Primary School At East Borough Maidstone
• Valley Invicta Primary School At Aylesford Aylesford
• Valley Invicta Primary School at Holborough Lakes Snodland
• Valley Invicta Primary School At Kings Hill West Malling
• Valley Invicta Primary School At Leybourne Chase West Malling
• The Lenham School Maidstone

What is School of Science and Technology Maidstone's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for School of Science and Technology Maidstone is Outstanding, from an inspection in March 2023.

When was School of Science and Technology Maidstone last inspected by Ofsted?

School of Science and Technology Maidstone was last inspected in March 2023.

How many pupils does School of Science and Technology Maidstone have?

School of Science and Technology Maidstone has 1,056 pupils on roll.

What age range does School of Science and Technology Maidstone cover?

School of Science and Technology Maidstone for pupils aged 11 to 19.

What are School of Science and Technology Maidstone's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 49.1, and 48% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is School of Science and Technology Maidstone?

School of Science and Technology Maidstone is at New Cut Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 5GQ.