The Beacon Folkestone Catchment Area
The Beacon Folkestone is a foundation special not applicable school in Folkestone, Kent , serving pupils aged 3-19, with 431 pupils, and a capacity of 354 places. The school is currently at or above capacity, making catchment area proximity important for admissions.
3-19
Age range
431
Pupils
354
Capacity
122%
Fill rate
Outstanding
Ofsted 2019
The Beacon Folkestone Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for The Beacon Folkestone?
The catchment area for The Beacon Folkestone is the geographic zone Kent uses to prioritise admissions when this not applicable school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Kent publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
The catchment area for The Beacon Folkestone is set by Kent and reviewed annually. Children living within the catchment boundary receive priority consideration when applications exceed the number of available places.
Not getting a place? Learn how to appeal a school place →
Want the cut-off distance before you apply? Get an alert when Kent publishes the 2027 The Beacon Folkestone numbers →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Kent before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find Kent catchment area documents →The Beacon Folkestone: heavily oversubscribed at 122% capacity
The Beacon Folkestone has a published admission number of 354 places. 431 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 122%. At 122% capacity, the school is heavily oversubscribed. Kent allocates places using ranked criteria: looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment distance. Living within the catchment area is a strong but not guaranteed advantage, as the last distance offered shrinks each year as applications rise.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 55.6% of pupils at The Beacon Folkestone are eligible for free school meals, above the national average of around 24%. This reflects the school's role in a higher-deprivation area of Folkestone.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Kent publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Find Kent school admissions →
The Beacon Folkestone: School Information
- Full address
- Park Farm Road, Folkestone, CT19 5DN
- Local authority
- Kent
- School type
- Foundation special school
- Phase of education
- Not applicable
- Age range
- 3-19 years
- Free school meals
- 55.6% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 119044
Other Not applicable Schools in Folkestone
If The Beacon Folkestone is oversubscribed, these not applicable schools in Folkestone are the next closest alternatives.
School of English Studies Catchment Area
Miscellaneous · CT20 2PY
Birchwood Catchment Area
Pupil referral unit · CT19 4FP
Compass Community School Coastal Park Catchment Area
Other independent special school · CT19 5AX
Earlscliffe (Sussex Summer Schools Ltd) Catchment Area
Other independent school · CT20 2NB
Folkestone Beacon Plus Catchment Area
Special post 16 institution · CT20 1AU
Nearest not applicable schools by distance
These are the not applicable schools closest to The Beacon Folkestone by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
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Frequently Asked Questions: The Beacon Folkestone
What is the catchment area for The Beacon Folkestone? ▾
The catchment area for The Beacon Folkestone is the geographic zone Kent uses to prioritise admissions when this not applicable school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Kent publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is The Beacon Folkestone oversubscribed? ▾
Yes, The Beacon Folkestone currently has 431 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 354 places. Catchment area proximity is an important admissions criterion when applying.
What is the admissions policy for The Beacon Folkestone? ▾
Admission to The Beacon Folkestone is managed by Kent. When oversubscribed, places go to looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment area distance. Always verify the current policy with the council before applying.
What age range does The Beacon Folkestone cover? ▾
The Beacon Folkestone is a not applicable school in Folkestone, Kent, serving pupils aged 3-19. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for The Beacon Folkestone? ▾
The Beacon Folkestone was rated Outstanding by Ofsted in 2019. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.