SchoolScoresBirchwood
Pupil referral unit · Secondary, ages 14 to 16 · Mixed
Bowen Road, Folkestone, CT19 4FP
03000 658450 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
At the inspection that started on 1 July 2025, Ofsted graded each area separately. It stopped giving an overall grade in September 2024.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Safeguarding | Effective |
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
What parents say
11 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025.
| Statement | This school | England |
|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school | 73% | 89% |
| My child feels safe at this school | 100% | 90% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved | 73% | 84% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent | 73%said yes | 84% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 25%). Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.
Results
No test or exam results have been published for this school yet.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Kent. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.
Pupils, staff and SEND
| Pupils | This school | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years | 0.0% | 25.1%* | 28.9% |
| With an education, health and care plan | 0.0% | 2.8%* | 3.1% |
| Receiving special educational needs support | 0.0% | 11.5%* | 13.4% |
| English as an additional language | 0.0% | 12.7%* | 19.2% |
| Pupils per teacher | 3.6 | 16.9 | 16.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) | 2.4 | 12.0 | 11.8 |
| Teachers who left during the year | 0.0% | 13.6%* | 14.2%* |
Comparisons are with secondary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
Nearby secondary schools
- Turner Free School 0.1 miles · Ofsted: Good (2022) · 25% grade 5+ English and maths
- The Harvey Grammar School 0.5 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2016), confirmed 2022 · 86% grade 5+ English and maths
- Folkestone Academy 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 1 strong, 5 expected, 1 needs attention · 15% grade 5+ English and maths
- The Folkestone School for Girls 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2024) · 67% grade 5+ English and maths
- Earlscliffe (Sussex Summer Schools Ltd) 0.9 miles · Independent, inspected by ISI · 32% A*/A at A level
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Birchwood's Ofsted rating?
At its inspection in 1 July 2025, Ofsted graded each area separately; it stopped giving an overall grade in September 2024.
Would parents recommend Birchwood?
73% of the 11 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025 said they would recommend Birchwood to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 135462.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 3 September 2024 to 1 September 2025.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.