Astor Secondary School
Academy converter secondary school in Dover (Kent).
Location
iSchool location from Get Information about Schools. Nearby schools are coloured by phase. Open Map+ for a full-screen map with neighbourhood deprivation (England only).About
Astor School was established in 1948, since when it has grown considerably, not merely in size, but also in public esteem. In 2002 it was designated a specialist school and became Astor College for the Arts. It is widely recognised in the area as a college which maintains the highest standards in work, behaviour and personal appearance.
Parents know that much is expected of their daughters and sons and the highest goals are set, always within a context of care for the students and concern for what is appropriate for the individual. The family is at the heart of Astors ethos and philosophy.
A combination of traditional achievements and modern educational innovation produces those qualities of stability and imagination which go towards making today's school uniquely popular. A happy and caring atmosphere is sought after by staff and students alike.
The staff are extremely committed to providing richness of experience through a wide variety of extra curricular activities out of school hours, including weekends and holidays. The visual arts are treasured at Astor. This work extends throughout the school environment, the local community and internationally.
In the school’s own words, from the school website.
Enrichment
3 activitiesiFound on the school website by WhatSchool. Not verified by Governance Register; the school website is the authority.- Dance
- Drama
- Photography
Awards
1 awardiFound on the school website by WhatSchool. Not verified by Governance Register; the school website is the authority.- Quality in CareersRecognised award
Key facts
- URN
- 138167
- Type
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Secondary
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Sixth form
- Has a sixth form
- Nursery
- No Nursery Classes
- Local authority
- Kent
- Constituency
- Dover and Deal
- Setting
- Urban: Further from a major town or city
- Opened
- 2012
Governing body (0 current, 8 former)
iAcademy trust: local governing body and trust board.1 governor is linked to a profile (all confirmed).
Governors marked “Confirmed same person” have exactly the same forename and surname as the only officer of that name at the school’s own academy trust company on the Companies House register, so we treat them as the same person. The governance record itself comes from DfE.
Leadership
| Name | Role | How appointed | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mr Ed James Former | Chair of Local Governing Body | Appointed by trustees | since 2025 · term ended 2026 |
Full governing body
| Name | Role | How appointed | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mr Simon Smith Former | Local Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2025 · term ended 2026 |
| Mrs Rhiannon Begg Confirmed same person Former | Local Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2025 · term ended 2026 |
| Mr David Ducane Former | Local Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2025 · term ended 2026 |
| Mr Shaun Simmons Former | Local Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2025 · term ended 2026 |
| Ms Mel O'Dell Former | Local Governor | Appointed by trustees | since 2025 · term ended 2026 |
| Mrs Helen Castle Former | Local Governor | Appointed by trustees | since 2025 · term ended 2026 |
| Mr David Ducane Former | Local Governor | Appointed by trustees | since 2024 · term ended 2025 |
Source: Department for Education, Get Information about Schools (governance records, as at 25 October 2026). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Names are shown as published; there are no addresses or contact details. Current and former are worked out from term end dates when the page loads. Object or ask for removal · Report an issue with this record