Bennett Memorial Diocesan SchoolBeacon Academy
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side.
Summary of the comparison
Bennett Memorial Diocesan School and Beacon Academy are secondary schools.
Bennett Memorial Diocesan School scores 77 out of 100 (grade B, strong) and Beacon Academy scores 71 out of 100 (grade B, strong). Bennett Memorial Diocesan School is ahead on our composite score.
Bennett Memorial Diocesan School was judged Outstanding and Beacon Academy was judged Outstanding.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 53.4 for Bennett Memorial Diocesan School and 49.4 for Beacon Academy.
GCSE Attainment 8 has fallen at Bennett Memorial Diocesan School (59.5 in 2021-22, 53.4 in 2025-26) and has fallen at Beacon Academy (55.0 in 2021-22, 49.4 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | Tunbridge WellsBennett Memorial Diocesan School | CrowboroughBeacon Academy | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | B77/100Stronger figure | B71/100 | |
| Local ranking | 11th of 102 in Kent | 3rd of 24 in East Sussex | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Outstanding | Ofsted: Outstanding | |
| School type | Academy converter | Academy converter | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-18 | 11-18 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 1,913 | 1,642 | |
| Capacity | 1,452 | 1,550 | |
| Location | Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9SH | Crowborough, TN6 2AS | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 53.4 Stronger figure | 49.4 | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 56.8% | 57.1% Stronger figure | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 79.3% Stronger figure | 78.7% | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 294 | 254 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | 183 | 122 | |
| A-level average points | 36.1 Stronger figure | 34.5 | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | B- | C+ | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | 36.9 Stronger figure | 34.0 | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | 13.8% | 17.7% Stronger figure | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,892 | 1,662 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 10.1% | 14.8% | |
| English as an additional language | 11.5% | 5.3% | |
| SEN support | 8.7% | 10.5% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 1.5% | 1.6% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 5.1% Stronger figure | 9.1% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 12.0% Stronger figure | 23.8% | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
GCSE Attainment 8
GCSE Progress 8
A-level average points
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
Bennett Memorial Diocesan School
Beacon Academy
Full profiles: Bennett Memorial Diocesan School · Beacon Academy