Ashford, St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Ashford
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
St Mary's is a joyful, caring school where children are encouraged to develop respect, forgiveness and compassion. The school excels at teaching reading, ensuring every child becomes a confident reader. With a broad curriculum including art, history and geography, plus regular workshops and field trips, pupils benefit from enriching learning experiences that spark curiosity and engagement.
Key Strengths
- Warm, welcoming school environment where pupils feel happy and safe
- Highly effective teaching of early reading with strong staff training and support for struggling readers
- Rich and ambitious curriculum with interesting hands-on learning experiences
- Strong support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities
- Excellent attendance rates and positive pupil behaviour
Areas for Improvement
- Pupils do not recall key information and vocabulary from previous lessons consistently
- Teachers do not always check pupils' understanding systematically enough
- Some pupils have gaps in their learning and are not fully ready for new content
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Football club, ocarina club, book club, choir, sports fixtures, culture week, careers week, school post office team, sports captains, reading ambassadors, buddy roles
Ashford, St Mary's Church of England Primary School has maintained its good standards and continues to provide a warm, welcoming environment where pupils thrive. The school has a broad, ambitious curriculum and strong focus on reading, though it needs to improve how pupils recall and apply key knowledge consistently.
At a Glance
28.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
85 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 75% to 82%. Maths has remained stable at around 72%. Writing has improved from 64% to 72%.
Class Sizes
29.8
Avg class size
29.7
Infant (KS1)
29.9
KS2
14
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
100%
Over capacity
418 pupils
420 capacity
2 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Ashford
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Ashford
Admissions Demand - Kent
Places available
19,144
Applications
16,524
Got 1st preference
90.6%
Got preferred school
98.5%
Primary admissions across Kent (2025/26)
Inspection History(9)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.98103%
Overall absence
13.55014%
Persistent absence
369
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Ashford, St Mary's Church of England Primary School
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