The Charles Dickens School
The Charles Dickens School is an Ofsted rated “Good” school (March 2023). We are a non-selective 11-16, highly popular, oversubscribed school located in Broadstairs, Kent. We have a vision and a determination to provide our community with an excellent school and we are making great strides towards this. Our results in 2022 identified us as the most improved school in Kent (out of 101 secondary schools) and one of the most improved schools in the country. In 2023, our results were strong again and equivalent to those achieved in 2022. Schools Week identified us as the 8th most improved school in the country between 2019 and 2023, for school with an above average proportion of Pupil Premium pupils.
In 2024, the School’s P8 score, was above average, and placed the school in the top 34% in the country. When comparing to Kent non-selective schools, in 2024, the School’s A8 score was 1st in Thanet, 1st in East and 14th in the whole of Kent; in 2025 the school was ranked 1st in Thanet, 1st in East Kent and 17th in the whole of Kent. In 2026, the school was ranked 1st in Thanet, 2nd in East Kent and 16th in the whole of Kent. This demonstrates high sustained performance when compared to the rest of the county and similar schools.
To work at The Charles Dickens is to embrace the challenges of an economically-diverse community and understand the influence education has in addressing social immobility. There are few schools in the country where a teacher’s ability to change lives is so evident. We’re looking for brilliant people to join us on our journey.
The Charles Dickens School strives for excellence for all individuals. We have high standards and high expectations and we encourage and support all pupils and staff to achieve their best, be happy and enjoy their time at the School. We became formally part of Barton Court Academy Trust (BCAT) on 1 March 2017.
The School has excellent facilities. All rooms are equipped with state-of-the art electronic interactive whiteboards. There are excellent specialist facilities for sport, hospitality, engineering, dance, drama, music and art. We have a Specialist Resource Provision for visually-impaired children. We offer and value a broad curriculum aimed at promoting talent beyond traditional academic subjects. Our significant investment in professional development drives colleagues’ continuous improvement. This is a place where everyone improves regardless of their career stage.
Our mission statement is Expect, Believe, Achieve. We consider this to be a simple equation. Expect plus Believe equals Achieve. Expect relates to the high expectations of staff demonstrated through the planning, delivery and assessment of our aspirational curriculum, and the excellent learning environment pupils and staff enjoy. Believe relates to the belief of the pupils and parents that they can be successful. This is underpinned by our communication of, and support for their learning journey, and the personal development opportunities that pupils experience. Achieve relates to the outcomes from our five-year journey with each pupil, the progression on to their chosen destination and the increased social mobility resulting from strong levels of achievement.
Our core values are illustrated by the acronym CARE: compassion, aspiration, resilience and enthusiasm. Compassion shapes our interactions with each other, during lessons and recreational time, treating each other with respect and kindness. Aspiration provides momentum for pupils on their learning journey. Resilience is promoted to ensure pupils emotional needs are supported. Enthusiasm emerges from the incredible opportunities pupils enjoy.
There has never been a better time to join The Charles Dickens School and we look forward to working together to ensure every child enjoys their education and leaves us as a confident, successful and happy young adult.
When you visit us, I hope you will appreciate not only the courtesy and confidence of the students, but also their joy and enthusiasm.
To find out more about our school please visit our website. www.cds.kent.sch.uk
