Bodsham Church of England Primary School, Ashford

Good
Primary
Voluntary controlled school
Mixed
Church of England
Ages 411

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~2.1km)Possible (~3.0km)Unlikely (~3.8km)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Mary Stephen
Pupils:70 / 103 capacity
LA:Kent
Phone:01233750374
Address:School Hill, Bodsham, Ashford, TN25 5JQ
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Good

Overall

URN:118673
UKPRN:10069100
Diocese:Diocese of Canterbury
Constituency:Ashford
Urban/Rural:Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Bodsham is a nurturing small school where every child is known as an individual and supported well. The school excels at teaching reading and delivers an impressive range of creative experiences through art, music and cultural activities. Pupils develop strong social skills, confidence and a deep sense of belonging, with older children supporting younger peers as positive role models.

Key Strengths

  • Excellent early years provision with effective teaching and high-quality interactions that support children's development
  • Reading outcomes significantly above average across the school, with pupils developing fluency and independence
  • Strong personal development programme offering impressive creative experiences including music, art and cultural opportunities
  • Very positive behaviour and harmonious relationships, with pupils showing kindness, compassion and respect for one another
  • Inclusive culture where all pupils, including those with additional needs, are known well and supported effectively

Areas for Improvement

  • Inconsistent quality of pupils' work presentation and handwriting in older year groups
  • Attendance leadership needs more systematic monitoring and robust oversight to track the impact of support strategies
  • Formal recording of progress reviews is not always consistent, limiting evaluation of provision impact
  • Governors' monitoring of safeguarding arrangements and safer recruitment procedures needs strengthening

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met. Leaders have created an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Music and poetry workshop (Canterbury Festival), art experiences, safety week, superhero charity fundraising project

Bodsham Church of England Primary School is a nurturing small school where pupils develop strong social skills and achieve well academically, particularly in reading. The school has a clear inclusive culture, though some areas of leadership monitoring need strengthening.

At a Glance

10.0%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-14ppMaths+6ppWriting+6pp

Reading has declined from 100% to 86%. Maths has improved from 80% to 86%. Writing has improved from 80% to 86%.

Class Sizes

18.8

Avg class size

14.5

Infant (KS1)

23.0

KS2

4

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

The Timber Batts (opp)
52m · 1 min walk
Park Corner (N-bound)
498m · 8 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

68%

Available places

70 pupils

103 capacity

33 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Ashford

Low pressure
New homes approved:2,620
Projected new pupils:655

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Ashford

Admissions Demand - Kent

Low demand0.86x oversubscription

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(105)

Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good

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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.

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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.

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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.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

4.92941%

Overall absence

12.16216%

Persistent absence

74

Enrolments

Authorised4.34183%
Unauthorised0.58759%
Persistent (10%+)12.16216%
Severe (50%+)0%

Absence trend

3.66897%
18/19
2.90704%
20/21
7.97781%
21/22
7.88233%
22/23
7.52217%
23/24
4.92941%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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