Amherst School, Sevenoaks
Amherst School is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Sevenoaks. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2022. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 11th-highest of the 21 schools in Sevenoaks with published results, and 3,408th of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
- Capacity
- 99% full
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Amherst School in detail
Amherst School in its own words
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care, from £7.25 per day.
Coming up: an open day on Saturday 14 November 2026 at 2.45pm and an open day on Monday 16 November 2026 at 3.30pm. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 84% of Year 6 pupils at Amherst School reached the expected standard in reading and 86% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Kent and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (88% in reading, 85% in maths).
Getting a place at Amherst School
Across Kent, 90% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 98% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Kent lodged 237 appeals against primary school offers; 166 reached a hearing and 18 succeeded (10.8% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Amherst School are Riverhead Infants' School (0.3 miles, Good); Chevening, St Botolph's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 95% reading, 86% maths); Dunton Green Primary School (1 mile, Good, 65% reading, 65% maths); and Sevenoaks Primary School (1.1 miles, Good, 76% reading, 75% maths).
Amherst School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Riverhead Infants' SchoolChevening, St Botolph's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolDunton Green Primary SchoolSevenoaks Primary School
Who goes there
8.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 8.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (69%) and Mixed (15%).
In 2026, 59 pupils (15.3%) received SEN support and 7 (1.8%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Sevenoaks Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Witches Lane (s-bound), 180 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Amherst School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 58 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Amherst School issued 4 suspensions, 1.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its May 2022 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
8.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 88% to 84% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 86% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 84% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
32.1
Avg class size
32.1
KS2
12
Total classes
12 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Amherst School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Amherst School.
- Stagecoach Otford330m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Amherst School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Amherst School is in Kent; for families living there:
Apply to Kent for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 14
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 12 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Kent is 11 (the median across 711 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
99%
Near capacity
382 pupils
384 places
2 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Sevenoaks
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sevenoaks
Across Kent council
Places available
18,893
Applications
16,593
Got 1st preference
89.7%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All primary applications across Kent council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
59
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
17.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
385
Total Pupils
195
Boys
190
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
20
Teachers
19.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,407
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,910
Per pupil
£1984k
Total funding
£45k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.3%
Overall absence
3.9%
Persistent absence
389
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Amherst School
Questions parents ask about Amherst School
What are SATs results like at Amherst School?
Of the pupils at Amherst School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 84% reached the expected standard in reading and 86% did so in maths.
What is Amherst School's Ofsted rating?
Amherst School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2022.
What is the catchment area for Amherst School?
No fixed boundary. When Amherst School is oversubscribed, Kent allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Amherst School?
Amherst School was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Amherst School?
Classes at Amherst School average 32.1 pupils (2025/26). 12 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Amherst School?
Amherst School has around 385 pupils on roll. 9% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Amherst School?
3.3% of sessions were missed at Amherst School in 2024/25. 3.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Amherst School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Amherst School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
Does Amherst School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Amherst School: Stagecoach Otford (330m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Amherst School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 12 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Kent is 11 (the median across 711 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Amherst School?
Amherst School is at Witches Lane, Riverhead, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 2AX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)