Blean Primary School, Canterbury
Blean Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Canterbury. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2016. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2022 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 28 schools in Canterbury with published results, and 3,012th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.3 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 102% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2016)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Kent (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Blean Primary School in detail
Blean Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "At Blean School we have established a safe, creative and vibrant environment where children feel challenged and supported in their learning; achieving high levels of well-being and academic success. We aim to nurture and develop mutual respect, tolerance, teamwork, perseverance and good manners. Our dedicated and talented team of staff inspire and motivate all children throughout their respective learning journeys."
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 87% of Year 6 pupils at Blean Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 85% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Kent and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 87% in reading and 74% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Blean Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 80 families put Blean Primary School as their first choice and 156 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 22 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Blean Primary School are St Stephen's Junior School (1.3 miles, Good, 62% reading, 55% maths); St Stephen's Infant School (1.3 miles, Good); The Canterbury Primary School (1.5 miles, Good, 63% reading, 66% maths); and St Johns Church of England Primary School (1.7 miles, Good, 58% reading, 42% maths).
Blean Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
St Stephen's Junior SchoolSt Stephen's Infant SchoolThe Canterbury Primary SchoolSt Johns Church of England Primary School
Who goes there
9.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 31.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (62%) and Mixed (12%).
In 2026, 52 pupils (11.6%) received SEN support and 2 (0.4%) 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 Canterbury West Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Blean School (opposite), 90 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Blean Primary School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 28 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Blean Primary School issued 2 suspensions, 0.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Blean Primary School are The Archbishop's School (1 mile) and The Canterbury Academy (1.5 miles).
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 · 5 years agoThis judgement is from March 2016, 10 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its March 2016 inspection - up from Good.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
9.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 87% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 74% to 85% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 82% to 90% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.9
Avg class size
29.7
Infant (KS1)
31.8
KS2
15
Total classes
7 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Blean Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Blean Primary School.
- Barracudas - Canterbury St Ed950m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Blean Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Blean Primary 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
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 2 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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
Your chances of a place at Blean Primary School
Will you get a place at Blean Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Blean Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Blean Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Blean Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Kent, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Blean Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Kent got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
102%
Over capacity
429 pupils
420 places
9 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Canterbury
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Canterbury
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.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
52
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
12.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
449
Total Pupils
208
Boys
241
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
19
Teachers
23.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,641
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,013
Per pupil
£2353k
Total funding
£53k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.9%
Overall absence
5.7%
Persistent absence
383
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
Blean Primary School
Questions parents ask about Blean Primary School
What are SATs results like at Blean Primary School?
Of the pupils at Blean Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 87% reached the expected standard in reading and 85% did so in maths.
What is Blean Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Blean Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2022, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2016, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Blean Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Blean Primary 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 Blean Primary School?
Blean Primary School was full in 2025, at 102% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Blean Primary School?
Classes at Blean Primary School average 29.9 pupils (2025/26). 7 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Blean Primary School?
Blean Primary School has around 449 pupils on roll. 9% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Blean Primary School?
3.9% of sessions were missed at Blean Primary School in 2024/25. 5.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Blean Primary School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Blean Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Blean Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Blean Primary School: Barracudas - Canterbury St Ed (950m 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 Blean Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 2 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Blean Primary School?
Blean Primary School is at Whitstable Road, Blean, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 9ED.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)