The academy, sponsored by the Oasis academy chain, opened in September 2013. It is much smaller than the average-sized secondary school. There are more boys than girls, particularly in the sixth form which is also very small. The academy and its predecessor school have had falling rolls for several years. The academy will close in July 2016. Most students in Years 7 to 9 moved to other schools at the end of the spring term but 60 were still in the academy during the inspection. Students in Years 10 and 12 will continue to attend the school in its final academic year to complete their examinations. Most students attending the academy are White British. A below average proportion of students are from several different minority ethnic groups including a few Roma Travellers. A below average proportion of students speak English as an additional language, of whom only a few are at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of students who receive support through the pupil premium is above average. This is additional government funding for disadvantaged, specific groups, including students known to be eligible for free school meals and looked after children. About one third of Year 7 students receive catch-up funding which is for students who did not attain the nationally expected level in English or mathematics at the end of primary school. The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs is high. The academy has 18 places (16 students at present) in a specialised provision for students with speech, language and communication needs. The most common special educational needs, apart from those supported in the specialised provision, relate to students with moderate or specific learning needs and behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. A few students attend long or short term placements (for Key Stage 4), alongside a range of services to support changes in behaviour and social skills. These take place at sites organised by the North West Kent Alternative Provision Service. A number of sixth form students attend a full-time futsal (football) course in Southend. In 2014, the academy did not meet the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students’ attainment and progress.