Barton Junior School, Dover
Barton Junior School is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Dover, part of Samphire Star Education Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 6th-highest of the 21 schools in Dover with published results, and 5,291st of 14,452 across England. It was 90% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- Capacity
- 90% full
- Attendance
- Below England average
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Barton Junior School in detail
Barton Junior School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "At Barton Junior School we inspire, motivate and challenge pupils, establishing a safe and stimulating environment, rooted in mutual respect. We set goals that stretch and challenge children of all backgrounds and abilities and demonstrate consistently the positive attitudes, values and behaviour which we expect."
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils at Barton Junior School reached the expected standard in reading and 79% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Kent and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 65% in reading and 59% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Barton Junior 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 Barton Junior School are Charlton Church of England Primary School (0.1 miles, Good, 55% reading, 55% maths); St Richard's Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 77% reading, 67% maths); Shatterlocks Infant and Nursery School (0.4 miles, Outstanding); and Priory Fields School (0.6 miles, Good, 63% reading, 63% maths).
Barton Junior School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Charlton Church of England Primary SchoolSt Richard's Catholic Primary SchoolShatterlocks Infant and Nursery SchoolPriory Fields School
The trust
Barton Junior School is one of 4 schools run by Samphire Star Education Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
55% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 49 pupils (24.3%) received SEN support and 6 (3%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Dover Priory Rail Station, about 1020 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Charlton Primary School (outside), 170 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Barton Junior School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 432 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 Kent (101), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Barton Junior School issued 3 suspensions, 1.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Barton Junior School are Dover Grammar School for Girls (0.2 miles), St Edmund's Catholic School (0.2 miles), Dover Grammar School for Boys (0.8 miles) and Astor Secondary School (0.9 miles).
Dover Grammar School for GirlsSt Edmund's Catholic SchoolDover Grammar School for BoysAstor Secondary School
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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from October 2014, 12 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's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils feel they belong in this warm and friendly school. They particularly value the positive relationships that they develop with staff and their peers. Pupils live out the school values of 'aspire, believe, create' through their exemplary conduct and attitudes. They recognise the importance of their learning, so lessons are calm and focused.
Across the school, pupils behave sensibly and are considerate of others. Adults apply their high expectations of behaviour and routines consistently. Pupils are given the support they need to manage and regulate their behaviour, whether adults are present or not.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has established an ambitious vision for the quality education that it provides. Leaders have focused on developing the curriculum in all subjects to ensure it is broad and engaging for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school supports pupils with SEND well with their learning. Pupils who require any additional support are identified quickly and staff work expertly to remove obstacles. As a result of the school's skilful work, pupils with SEND progress well through the curriculum.
One of the most important changes to the curriculum has been the prioritisation of reading. Reading is now at the heart of the curriculum. The school helps pupils to develop a love for reading through a range of texts and authors they read and explore. Pupils learn through daily reading lessons, which support them in developing their reading skills and fluency. Those who are at risk of falling behind their peers have started to benefit from a new phonics programme. This programme is still in the earlier stages of development. Leaders are continuing to help staff to develop their expertise through professional development. Consequently, a small number of pupils are not always supported effectively to read with confidence and fluency.
From Ofsted's July 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its October 2014 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
55.0%
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 65% to 83% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 59% to 79% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 72% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
25.3
Avg class size
25.3
KS2
8
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Barton Junior School
Before and after school care
Barton Junior School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Kent
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Barton Junior School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Barton Junior 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
- 42
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 15
- Children hurt
- 12
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 42 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 15 serious and 27 slight.
12 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise.
15 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
90%
Near capacity
215 pupils
240 places
25 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Dover
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Dover
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
49
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
27.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
202
Total Pupils
107
Boys
95
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
20.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,996
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,828
Per pupil
£1489k
Total funding
£165k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.5%
Overall absence
20.5%
Persistent absence
229
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 Barton Junior School
What are SATs results like at Barton Junior School?
Of the pupils at Barton Junior School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 83% reached the expected standard in reading and 79% did so in maths.
What is Barton Junior School's Ofsted rating?
Barton Junior School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Barton Junior School?
No fixed boundary. When Barton Junior 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 Barton Junior School?
Barton Junior School was not full in 2025: it ran at 90% of its 240 places.
How big are the classes at Barton Junior School?
Classes at Barton Junior School average 25.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Barton Junior School?
Barton Junior School has around 202 pupils on roll. 55% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Barton Junior School?
6.5% of sessions were missed at Barton Junior School in 2024/25. 20.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Barton Junior School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Barton 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 Barton Junior School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Barton Junior School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Barton 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: none fatal, 15 serious and 27 slight. 12 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise. 15 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 Barton Junior School?
Barton Junior School is at Barton Road, Dover, Kent, CT16 2ND.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)