Balfour Junior School, Chatham
Balfour Junior School is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Chatham, part of Beyond Schools Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 6th-highest of the 17 schools in Chatham with published results, and 5,071st of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Capacity
- Full
- Attendance
- In line with England
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Balfour Junior School in detail
Results
In 2025, 79% of Year 6 pupils at Balfour Junior School reached the expected standard in reading and 84% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 72% in Medway and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 73% in reading and 80% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Balfour Junior School
Across Medway, 94% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 99% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Medway lodged 48 appeals against primary school offers; 37 reached a hearing and 15 succeeded (40.5% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Balfour Junior School are Balfour Infant School (0.2 miles, Good); St John's Church of England Infant School (0.4 miles, Good); Crest Infant School (0.4 miles, Good); and St Michael Catholic Primary and Nursery School (0.4 miles).
Balfour Infant SchoolSt John's Church of England Infant SchoolCrest Infant SchoolSt Michael Catholic Primary and Nursery School
The trust
Balfour Junior School is one of 10 schools run by Beyond Schools Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
36.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (50%), Asian (19%) and Black (11%).
In 2026, 87 pupils (18.1%) received SEN support and 4 (0.8%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Chatham Rail Station, about 890 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Blenheim Avenue (adjacent), 240 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 749 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Medway (250), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Balfour Junior School issued 5 suspensions, 1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Balfour Junior School are St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School (0.3 miles), Fort Pitt Grammar School (0.5 miles), Holcombe Grammar School (0.5 miles) and The Rochester Grammar School (0.6 miles).
St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive SchoolFort Pitt Grammar SchoolHolcombe Grammar SchoolThe Rochester Grammar School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from October 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its October 2015 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
30.6%
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 improved from 73% to 79% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 80% to 84% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 79% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.9
Avg class size
29.9
KS2
13
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Balfour Junior School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Balfour Junior School.
- MFSEAt the school · Not yet graded
- NexGen Sports770m away · Not yet graded
- MFSE930m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Balfour Junior School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Balfour Junior School is in Medway; for families living there:
Apply to Medway for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 42
- Fatal
- 2
- Serious
- 14
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 42 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 2 fatal, 14 serious and 26 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
10 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 Medway is 25 (the median across 117 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
101%
Over capacity
481 pupils
480 places
1 pupil over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Chatham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Chatham
Across Medway council
Places available
3,675
Applications
3,130
Got 1st preference
93.9%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Medway council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
87
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
19.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
480
Total Pupils
236
Boys
244
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
22
Teachers
21.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,606
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,124
Per pupil
£2775k
Total funding
£224k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.5%
Overall absence
14.8%
Persistent absence
494
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
Questions parents ask about Balfour Junior School
What are SATs results like at Balfour Junior School?
Of the pupils at Balfour Junior School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 79% reached the expected standard in reading and 84% did so in maths.
What is Balfour Junior School's Ofsted rating?
Balfour Junior School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Balfour Junior School?
No fixed boundary. When Balfour Junior School is oversubscribed, Medway allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Balfour Junior School?
Balfour Junior School was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Balfour Junior School?
Classes at Balfour Junior School average 29.9 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Balfour Junior School?
Balfour Junior School has around 480 pupils on roll. 31% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Balfour Junior School?
5.5% of sessions were missed at Balfour Junior School in 2024/25. 14.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Balfour Junior School?
Apply through Medway's coordinated admissions process, naming Balfour Junior 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 Balfour Junior School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: MFSE (registered, not yet graded). There are 2 more within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Balfour Junior School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 42 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 2 fatal, 14 serious and 26 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 10 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 Medway is 25 (the median across 117 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Balfour Junior School?
Balfour Junior School is at Balfour Road, Chatham, Kent, ME4 6QX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)