The Charles Dickens School

About The Charles Dickens School

The Charles Dickens School is an academy sponsor led in Broadstairs, Kent, England, for pupils aged 11–18. It has 1,113 pupils on roll. It is part of BARTON COURT ACADEMY TRUST. Its most recent Ofsted inspection (28 March 2023) rated it Good. At GCSE, pupils achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 42.8 (2025/26). 42.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 8.6% have English as an additional language.

School Information

Local Authority

Kent →

School Type

Academy sponsor led

Phase

Secondary

Age Range

Ages 11–18

Gender

Mixed

Pupils / Capacity

1,113 / 1,104 (101%) · over capacity

Sixth Form

Has a sixth form

Nursery

No Nursery Classes

Religious Character

None

Admissions Policy

Non-selective

Last Ofsted Inspection

28 March 2023

Who attends this school — useful context if you’re considering teaching here.

Source: DfE School Census, 2025/26, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Official Department for Education results, pupil destinations and attendance.

Progress 8 isn’t published for this year group: their Key Stage 2 baseline (2021 SATs) was cancelled during the pandemic, so a progress measure can’t be calculated. GCSE figures are provisional and may be revised.

Source: Department for Education performance tables, 2025/26, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Some independent schools’ qualifications (e.g. IGCSEs) are not all reflected in these figures.

Staffing at this school, with the trend over recent years — useful if you’re considering working here.

Data for the 2024/25 academic year (trend lines show 3 years). Source: DfE School Workforce Census, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. State-funded schools only.

How this school is funded and where the money goes — per pupil.

Source: DfE school finance returns (CFR for council-maintained schools, AAR for academies), 2024-25, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Per-pupil figures are calculated from total income/expenditure.

Contact Details

Address

Broadstairs Road, Broadstairs, Kent, CT10 2RL

Phone

01843862988

Head Teacher

Warren Smith

Website

www.cds.kent.sch.uk

Academy Trust

Frequently asked questions

What type of school is The Charles Dickens School?

The Charles Dickens School is an academy sponsor led in Broadstairs, Kent, England, for pupils aged 11–18.

How many pupils does The Charles Dickens School have?

The Charles Dickens School has 1,113 pupils on roll, according to Department for Education data.

What is The Charles Dickens School's Ofsted rating?

The Charles Dickens School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection (28 March 2023).

How does The Charles Dickens School perform at GCSE?

Pupils at The Charles Dickens School achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 42.8 in 2025/26.

Is The Charles Dickens School part of an academy trust?

Yes — The Charles Dickens School is part of BARTON COURT ACADEMY TRUST.

Where is The Charles Dickens School?

The Charles Dickens School is located at Broadstairs Road, Broadstairs, Kent, CT10 2RL.