The Ailey School

Abbey School's main building undergoing restoration, 2014 The School was opened in September 1983 with the amalgamation of Ethelbert Road Boys School and Lady Capel School for Girls with the whole process being overseen by its first head, Vin Thomas. The Boys school was decommissioned with students moving to the south side of Faversham where the school currently stands. [ 1 ] Peter Walker In 1987, Peter Walker was the school's 2nd headteacher. [ 2 ] In February 2000, Walker threaten to report the deteriorating state of the 1940s built canteen to the Health and Safety Executive in attempt to get Kent County Council to replace it. Paul Carter (KCC) claimed that other projects had priority. The roof had become a thick layer of moss with asbestos that caused paint to peel off the walls. [ 3 ] In September 2004, with the support of parents, the school became the first to introduce random drug tests [ 4 ] which commenced in January 2005. [ 5 ] The tests could be performed only when parents gave permission for their child to be tested. Students who refused to be available for testing or tested positive would undergo a counselling program. Critics of the program stated an infringement of privacy would lead to legal action. [ 6 ] At the school, 20 students were tested weekly and were given a mouth swab for cannabis, cocaine and heroin. [ 7 ] Supporters of the program including former Prime Minister Tony Blair who endorsed Walker's efforts and called for the program to be expanded. [ 5 ] In 2005, the school reported that the scheme helped to boost examination results to 40% compared with 32% in 2004, and 28% in 2003. [ 8 ] In 2006, Walker retired and became Britain's official ambassador for drug testing. He gave a presentation to John Walters , the director of the White House drug policy office. [ 6 ]

His position was taken over by Jenny James who promised to continue drug testing. [ 5 ] The scheme was ended in 2008, due to other schools not performing the tests. [ 9 ] Within the space of four years, only one student tested positive. [ 10 ]

James was succeeded by Catrin Woodend after some months and oversaw the school's transition to an academy in 2011. [ 11 ] Woodend also organised the building of the school's all-weather pitch which was completed in 2012. In 2018, Catrin Woodend announced her retirement and was succeeded by Dr Rowland Speller. In May 2022 Ofsted downgraded the School's rating from 'Good' to 'Inadequate' following their inspection citing concerns about safeguarding and in turn the leadership of the school.The grading caused national media controversy, not least because a significant part of the 2022 Ofsted report cited that the behaviour expectations in the school were 'oppressive' and that the level of 'compliance' expected from students did not support the culture of the school. Yet, just weeks later, the school reported record breaking A Level results and GCSE results. It raised questions in the national consciousness about whether basic expectations were reasonable, particularly given the recent Covid pandemic. The school's own rules included sitting up in lessons, paying attention when the teaching is speaking, putting hands up to ask questions and avoiding interuping others when they are speaking. At the start of every day, all staff and students meet together on the playground or in the canteen, so that staff can check uniform and equipment and that students and ensure that they are 'ready to learn'. Data published by the school in 2022 showed that the number of students leaving the school with Grade 5 or more in both English and Maths at GCSE had more than tripled compared to the year of the previous inspection (2017). Over the same period many more students were also receiving top A Level grades. Katharine Birbalsingh (Chair of the Government's Social Mobility Commissioner) when speaking about the inspection outcome on national news said 'Ofsted have sort of let us down really' (GB News, 27 August 2022).

Rod Liddle, writing in The Spectator, penned an article entitled 'How to Run a School' (27 August 2022), applauding the school and highlighting the incongruence between the high academic outcomes of the school in the face of the highly critical Ofsted comments. In April 2023 The Abbey School became part of The Howard Academy Trust.