Canterbury Academy, The

Welcome to The Canterbury Academy

Welcome to our part of Kent's on-line prospectus and thank you for considering The Canterbury Academy Sixth Form. We hope that before you make the important decision about which school you will choose, you will come and visit to sample the atmosphere for yourself.

About us

The Canterbury Academy is an 11 – 19 years comprehensive school which works in partnership with Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys to provide a grammar school stream and to deliver the full range of A-levels in the sixth form, as well as an impressive range of other qualifications. The Canterbury Academy's sixth form is large and growing: in 2024 it is over 800. 

The Canterbury Academy’s sixth form offers the full range of A-levels. It also offers BTECs, a variety of industry related qualifications, Level 2 programmes, the opportunity to improve mathematics and English at Level 1 or 2 and programmes for students with learning needs.

The Canterbury Academy hosts The Canterbury Institute of Sport which provides elite programmes for talented young sportsmen and women across a wide range of individual and team sports. The Canterbury Academy also accommodates The Canterbury Institute of Performing Arts, offering professional training in dance, acting, music performance, theatre technology and musical theatre. In total there are over 250 of the brightest and the best sportsmen and women and performing artists in these elite programmes.

We do have entry recommendations for some courses, especially A-levels, as we would not want you to start a course that would not be suitable for you. We want to give you the best chance of future success.

Students are expected to study either up to 3 A level equivalent subjects (this can be from either A levels and/or Level 3 BTEC subjects) building their own personalised combination of subjects OR a full time Level 2 course. 

The course programmes are flexible: students can mix Level 3 courses with Level 2 courses, or A-levels with BTECs. 

We provide impartial advice and guidance and seek to put you on the courses you want and are likely to be successful in. The sixth form runs on a flexible timetable with some courses running until 6.00pm. This flexibility means we can offer as much as possible, to as many as possible, as often as possible.

The Canterbury Academy sixth form is based on The Canterbury Campus and we have tried to develop it so that it resembles a college. Sixth formers can, therefore, access their café and sixth form student hub, a variety of ICT rooms, social areas, the performing arts areas and the academy’s multi-million pound sports centre with gym. 

The Canterbury Academy sixth form is large enough to be able to offer a variety of pathways. There is an academic pathway (for students following A-levels), a vocational pathway (for students following BTEC qualifications), an elite pathway in sport, an elite pathway in performing arts, a pathway for practical learners who will follow industry appropriate qualifications and there is a pathway for learners who will need individual or personalised support.

Applications Open – 3rd November 2025

Applications Close – 31st July 2026

Entry Requirements –We do have entry recommendations for some courses, especially A-levels, as we would not want you to start a course that would not be suitable for you. We want to give you the best chance of future success.

The course programmes are flexible: students can mix Level 3 courses with Level 2 courses, or A-levels with BTECs. We provide impartial advice and guidance and seek to put you on the courses you want and are likely to be successful in.

Students are expected to study up to 3 A level equivalent subjects (this can be from either A levels and/or Level 3 BTEC subjects) building their own personalised combination of Level 3 subjects OR a full time Level 2 course. 

The sixth form runs on a flexible timetable with some courses running until 6.00pm. This flexibility means we can offer as much as possible, to as many as possible, as often as possible.

How to Apply – Please apply via Kent Choices.

View our courses here

Additional support

We deliver a specific needs pathway and have dedicated staff who can provide additional educational needs support. Please contact us for more information.

If you need financial support and meet the relevant criteria you may be eligible to receive a student bursary. This can be used to assist with travel costs, equipment, books, etc.

To prepare for moving on to university or work, we have a Careers, Information and Guidance Lead who can guide you through the UCAS application and personal statement process and help you with your C.V.

We also have Independent Study Centres, specifically for independent study which has a member of staff in attendance at all times.

Facilities available

Three dance studios

Lecture theatre

Three drama studios

Professional recording studio

Working lecture theatre

Main hall with stage

Apple Mac music technology suite

All weather floodlit athletics track

Club room and store

Fitness gym and cardio theatre

Floodlit football pitch

Indoor and outdoor storage area

Playground area

Playing fields

Six-court fully equipped sports hall

Tennis dome/courts

Dedicated Sixth Form Hub

Learner success

The sixth form at The Canterbury Academy is the largest in Kent and is genuinely comprehensive. To only talk about A-levels and Oxbridge, whilst important for those who have done them and got there, does not capture what this academy's sixth form is about.

The sixth form offers a variety of pathways. Those students who studied A-levels, sometimes in partnership with Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys, have done well. All appear to have secured a place at the university of their choice.

Students who studied sport have also done well, with many progressing to higher education. Some have gained national honours and others have entered into the world of professional sport.

Students who followed the performing arts have also done extremely well. Some have gone on to drama courses or to dance schools and others to university to study the arts.

Other students have gained work related qualifications and have progressed into apprenticeships, set up their own companies, gained employment, or have improved their qualifications.

The Canterbury Academy believes that every student can achieve. It offers a comprehensive and inclusive sixth form and believes that schools exist for the benefit of their students. It does not believe that students exist to make the school look good. Thus, we will always try to provide what is in the best interests of the students and not try to make students do what is in the best interests of the school’s league table position.