The Orchard School
Cambridge Road, Canterbury, CT1 3QQ
- Type
- Foundation special school
- Ages
- 7–16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Does not apply
- Trust
- Kent Special Educational Needs Trust (KSENT)
- Local authority
- Kent
- Free school meals
- 73.1%
Ofsted
Needs attention (2026) — Report card — the most common grade across the inspected areas
| Inclusion | Needs attention |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Needs attention |
| Achievement | Needs attention |
| Attendance and behaviour | Needs attention |
| Personal development and wellbeing | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Needs attention |
| Safeguarding | Met |
Inspected 3 February 2026, published 26 April 2026. Read the full Ofsted report
England has three coexisting inspection systems — how we translate them into one signal.
Exam results
| Measure | 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| Reaching the expected standard in reading, writing & maths | 0% |
| Reaching the higher standard | 0% |
| Attainment 8 score | 6.6 |
| Grade 5 or above in English & maths (strong pass) | 0% |
| Grade 4 or above in English & maths (standard pass) | 0% |
| Entering the English Baccalaureate | 0% |
Progress 8 is not published nationally for 2024/25 and 2025/26 while KS2 baselines are missing (no SATs in 2020/21). It returns from 2026/27.
“Not published (small cohort)” means the DfE suppressed the figure to protect small cohorts — it is not a zero.
Nearby alternatives
- St Nicholas' School 0.1 km · Good — confirmed 2024 · previous system
- Haven Nook 0.8 km · No Ofsted rating
- Newingate School 0.9 km · No Ofsted rating
- The Worthgate School 1.1 km · No Ofsted rating
- The King's School Canterbury 1.3 km · No Ofsted rating
- Canterbury Christ Church University 1.3 km · No Ofsted rating
Straight-line distance — not travel time, and not a catchment. Same phase, open schools only.
Data from DfE and Ofsted open data (OGL v3) — sources. School record updated 10 July 2026. Report incorrect data.