Bower Grove School is a not applicable school in Maidstone, serving pupils aged 4 to 16. The school is a foundation special school and operates as a mixed school. It follows a not applicable admissions policy. It does not have a designated religious character, which may suit families looking for a non-faith school.
Bower Grove School currently has around 239 pupils on roll, which is about 106% of its capacity. The gender split is relatively balanced, with approximately 87.9% boys and 12.1% girls. Around 68.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which gives an indication of the socio-economic mix. The school has a diverse intake across different backgrounds and needs.
Overall absence at the school is 17.1%. Persistent absence is recorded at 38.5%.
The majority of pupils are from a white british background (87.4%).
At its latest Ofsted inspection, the school was rated Outstanding. This indicates exceptional performance across all areas. Safeguarding was judged to be effective, which is a key consideration for many parents.
Around 68% of pupils move on to sustained destinations after Year 11. Most continue into education (64%) , including 0% who stay in school sixth forms and 41% progressing to further education , while 0% enter apprenticeships .
| Address: | Fant Lane, Maidstone, ME16 8NL |
| Website: | http://www.bower-grove.kent.sch.uk |
| Telephone: | 01622726773 |
| School Type: | Foundation special school |
| Education phase: | Not applicable |
| Local authority: | Kent |
| Headteacher / Principal: | Mrs Maz Cleave |
| Religious character: | Does not apply |
| Admissions policy: | Not applicable |
| Unique reference: | 119036 |
Ofsted inspection date: 18/09/2019
Safeguarding is effective
| Age Range: | 4 - 16 |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| School Capacity: | 225 |
| Number of Pupils: | 239 |
| Number of Boys: | 210 |
| Number of Girls: | 29 |
| School | England state-funded schools: | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall absence: | 17.1% | 4% |
| Persistent absence: | 38.5% | 8.2% |
| White British | 87.40% | 209 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 2.50% | 6 |
| Gypsy/Roma | 2.50% | 6 |
| White and Black African | 1.70% | 4 |
| Other White | 1.70% | 4 |
| Unclassified | 1.30% | 3 |
| Other Black | 0.80% | 2 |
| Irish Traveller (Traveller of Irish heritage) | 0.40% | 1 |
| Other Mixed | 0.40% | 1 |
| Caribbean | 0.40% | 1 |
| African | 0.40% | 1 |
| Other (any other ethnic group) | 0.40% | 1 |
| White and Asian | 0.00% | 0 |
| Irish | 0.00% | 0 |
| Pakistani | 0.00% | 0 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.00% | 0 |
| Other Asian | 0.00% | 0 |
| Chinese | 0.00% | 0 |
| Indian | 0.00% | 0 |
Progress scores show how pupils performed compared with pupils nationally who had similar prior attainment. Scores above 0 are better than average; below 0 are worse than average.
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jubilee Primary School Gatland Lane , ME16 8PF | 4out of 4 | 273 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| West Borough County Junior School Tonbridge Road , ME16 8TG | - not rated | 315 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| West Borough County Infant School Tonbridge Road , ME16 8TG | - not rated | 315 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| West Borough Primary School Greenway , ME16 8TL | 3out of 4 | 363 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| St Francis' Catholic Primary School, Maidstone Queen's Road , ME16 0LB | 3out of 4 | 993 yd | Voluntary aided school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakwood Park Grammar School Oakwood Park , ME16 8AH | 3out of 4 | 842 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Boys | More About School |
| Oakwood Park Grammar School Oakwood Park , ME16 8AH | - not rated | 842 yd | Foundation school | Not Applicable | Boys | More About School |
| The Astor of Hever Community School Oakwood Road , ME16 8AE | - not rated | 932 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| St Augustine Academy Oakwood Road , ME16 8AE | 2out of 4 | 932 yd | Academy sponsor led | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| St Simon Stock Catholic School Oakwood Park , ME16 0JP | - not rated | 989 yd | Voluntary aided school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bower Grove School Fant Lane , ME16 8NL | 4out of 4 | 0 yd | Foundation special school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Kent Institute of Art & Design Oakwood Park , ME16 8AG | - not rated | 914 yd | Higher education institutions | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Maidstone and Malling Alternative Provision 8 Bower Mount Road , ME16 8AU | 3out of 4 | 1,603 yd | Pupil referral unit | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| The Cedars Bower Mount Road , ME16 8AU | - not rated | 1,693 yd | Pupil referral unit | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Shernold School Hill Place , Queens Avenue ME16 0ER | - not rated | 1,779 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.