Chilham, St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Canterbury

Ofsted's report card from its 30 June 2026 inspection grades Chilham, St Mary's Church of England Primary School on 7 areas: 2 expected standard and 5 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Early years - Expected standard. "The early years curriculum builds on what children already know and helps them secure key knowledge over time."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders take a thoughtful approach to personal development and wellbeing."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils' achievement, including that of disadvantaged pupils, is not yet where it should be."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "The strategic leadership of attendance is not yet effective."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Leaders have made recent changes to the curriculum to provide pupils with learning that builds knowledge over time."

Inclusion - Needs attention. "Typically, leaders identify pupils' needs accurately."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Some leaders' own systems and processes lack strategic design and robustness."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that their attendance strategy is rigorously monitored so that is continues to improve overall attendance, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They should also ensure that their actions result in reducing persistent absence for all pupil groups"; "Leaders should ensure that pupils' precise starting points are accurately identified, routinely shared with staff and used consistently to inform teaching, assessment and appropriate intervention for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged"; "Leaders should ensure that recent curriculum changes are fully embedded so that pupils build secure knowledge in all subjects, closing remaining gaps that currently limit their readiness for the next stage"; "Leaders should ensure all staff apply the school's agreed teaching approaches consistently, maintaining high expectations for the quality of work in pupils' books across all subjects"; "Leaders should ensure that staff routinely and precisely check pupils' understanding so they can identify misconceptions and address them before pupils move on to more complex learning".

In its own words: "We are a Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School with a strong Christian ethos. We are a diverse, loving community, committed to providing firm foundations built on God's love and forgiveness for all."

From the headteacher's welcome: "We are incredibly proud of our beautiful, rural school and of all the pupils who attend here. Chilham St Mary's is a small school set in the historic Village of Chilham, Kent. Our children are provided with a holistic curriculum experience which includes Forest School sessions for all year groups."

In 2025, 62% of Year 6 pupils at Chilham, St Mary's Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 54% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Kent and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 71% in reading and 64% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 11 families put Chilham, St Mary's Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 45 named it as one of their preferences, for 14 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Chilham, St Mary's Church of England Primary School are Chartham Primary School (2.1 miles, 73% reading, 75% maths); Selling Church of England Primary School (2.6 miles, Good, 76% reading, 52% maths); Boughton-under-Blean and Dunkirk Primary School (3.8 miles, Good, 83% reading, 83% maths); and Sheldwich Primary School (4 miles, Outstanding, 91% reading, 91% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Chilham, St Mary's Church of England Primary School.

6.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 20 pupils (24.7%) received SEN support and 3 (3.7%) 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.

Chilham, St Mary's Church of England Primary School had 9 teachers in 2026, one for every 10 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Chilham Rail Station, about 940 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).

3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Taylors Hill (adjacent), 280 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 7 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).

In 2024/25, Chilham, St Mary's Church of England Primary School issued 8 suspensions, 9.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.