Charing Church of England Primary School, Ashford

Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Church of England
Ages 211

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Thomas Bird
Pupils:199 / 140 capacity
LA:Kent
Phone:01233712277
Address:School Road, Charing, Ashford, TN27 0JN
Trust:THE DIOCESE OF CANTERBURY ACADEMIES TRUST
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 July 2017

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 7 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Strong Standard
Behaviour
Expected Standard
Personal Development
Strong Standard
Leadership
Strong Standard
Early Years
Strong Standard
Inspected 10 February 2026View full report
URN:144835
UKPRN:10064466
Diocese:Diocese of Canterbury
Constituency:Weald of Kent
Urban/Rural:Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Charing Primary excels at helping all pupils, including those with additional needs, make rapid progress from their starting points. The school creates a purposeful, happy environment with expert teachers who quickly spot and fix gaps in learning. Staff clearly care deeply - parents say they go above and beyond - and pupils develop confidence, resilience and a strong sense of belonging.

Key Strengths

  • Pupils achieve very well in national tests with progress that matches high-quality work in their books
  • Highly ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum with expert teaching that addresses misconceptions quickly
  • Systematic early identification of pupil needs with skilled staff delivering carefully planned interventions
  • Strong personal development programme building pupils' understanding of diversity, healthy relationships and online safety
  • Experienced governors and leaders with clear ambition for every pupil and high-quality staff professional development

Areas for Improvement

  • Attendance is not yet at national averages, though it has improved steadily over time
  • Further refinement of curriculum sequencing in some subjects to support more responsive teaching

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - the school has created an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are met and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Trips to Houses of Parliament, art gallery visits, school sports representation

Charing Church of England Primary School is rated as having a Strong standard across all areas of inspection. The school demonstrates exceptional achievement, ambitious curriculum delivery, and strong leadership with a clear focus on pupil wellbeing and progress.

At a Glance

41.6%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+10ppMaths+5ppWriting+5pp

Reading has improved from 83% to 93%. Maths has improved from 88% to 93%. Writing has improved from 88% to 93%.

Class Sizes

24.8

Avg class size

24.7

Infant (KS1)

23.0

KS2

5

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Charing (Kent) Rail Station (entrance)
400m · 7 min walk

Bus Stops

Primary School (opp)
58m · 1 min walk
Tatchell Drive (opp)
116m · 2 min walk
The Moat (opp)
216m · 4 min walk
Railway Station (o/s)
397m · 6 min walk
Moat Park Cottages (opp)
533m · 9 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

142%

Over capacity

199 pupils

140 capacity

59 places over capacity

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(4)

10 February 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Early Years
20 October 2021
6 July 2017

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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

7.59894%

Overall absence

29.2517%

Persistent absence

147

Enrolments

Authorised5.47972%
Unauthorised2.11922%
Persistent (10%+)29.2517%
Severe (50%+)0.68027%

Absence trend

6.83212%
18/19
3.75137%
20/21
10.67033%
21/22
8.4685%
22/23
7.96464%
23/24
7.59894%
24/25
Overall absence rate

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

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