Bligh Primary School (Juniors), Rochester
Bligh Primary School (Juniors) is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Rochester, part of Maritime Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 18th-highest of the 25 schools in Rochester with published results, and 11,173rd of 14,452 across England. It was 98% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Capacity
- 98% full
- Attendance
- In line with England
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Bligh Primary School (Juniors) in detail
Results
In 2025, 71% of Year 6 pupils at Bligh Primary School (Juniors) reached the expected standard in reading and 64% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 72% in Medway and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 72% in reading and 75% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Bligh Primary School (Juniors)
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 Bligh Primary School (Juniors) are Bligh Primary School (Infants) (under 0.1 miles, Outstanding); Elaine Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 77% reading, 74% maths); Cedar Children's Academy (0.7 miles, Good, 72% reading, 71% maths); and Gordons Children's Academy, Infant (1.1 miles, Good).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Bligh Primary School (Juniors).
Bligh Primary School (Infants)Elaine Primary SchoolCedar Children's AcademyGordons Children's Academy, Infant
The trust
Bligh Primary School (Juniors) is one of 13 schools run by Maritime Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
41.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 28.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (60%), Black (16%) and Mixed (6%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Cuxton Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bligh Way Shops (opposite), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 123 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Medway (250).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Bligh Primary School (Juniors) issued 10 suspensions, 2.8 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 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 · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
41.4%
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 remained stable at around 71% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 75% to 64% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 70% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.6
Avg class size
28.6
KS2
12
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Bligh Primary School (Juniors)
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Bligh Primary School (Juniors).
- Little Larges Day Nursery After School Club980m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Bligh Primary School (Juniors) from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Bligh Primary School (Juniors) 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
- 32
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 9
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 32 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 23 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
12 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
98%
Near capacity
353 pupils
360 places
7 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Rochester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Rochester
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)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
62
SEN Support
12
EHC Plans
21.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
343
Total Pupils
158
Boys
185
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
21
Teachers
16.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,190
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,330
Per pupil
£2192k
Total funding
£209k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.5%
Overall absence
16.0%
Persistent absence
368
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
Bligh Primary School (Juniors)
Questions parents ask about Bligh Primary School (Juniors)
What are SATs results like at Bligh Primary School (Juniors)?
Of the pupils at Bligh Primary School (Juniors) who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 71% reached the expected standard in reading and 64% did so in maths.
What is Bligh Primary School (Juniors)'s Ofsted rating?
Bligh Primary School (Juniors) was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2023.
What is the catchment area for Bligh Primary School (Juniors)?
No fixed boundary. When Bligh Primary School (Juniors) is oversubscribed, Medway allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Bligh Primary School (Juniors)?
Bligh Primary School (Juniors) was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Bligh Primary School (Juniors)?
Classes at Bligh Primary School (Juniors) average 28.6 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Bligh Primary School (Juniors)?
Bligh Primary School (Juniors) has around 343 pupils on roll. 41% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Bligh Primary School (Juniors)?
5.5% of sessions were missed at Bligh Primary School (Juniors) in 2024/25. 16% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Bligh Primary School (Juniors)?
Apply through Medway's coordinated admissions process, naming Bligh Primary School (Juniors) 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 Bligh Primary School (Juniors) have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Bligh Primary School (Juniors): Little Larges Day Nursery After School Club (980m 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 Bligh Primary School (Juniors)?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 32 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 23 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 12 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 Bligh Primary School (Juniors)?
Bligh Primary School (Juniors) is at Bligh Way, Strood, Rochester, Kent, ME2 2XJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)