Drapers Mills Primary Academy, Margate

Ofsted's report card from its 7 July 2026 inspection grades Drapers Mills Primary Academy on 7 areas: 3 expected standard and 4 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. "Leaders identify childrens' needs early and provide effective support to help reduce barriers to learning."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders quickly identify barriers to learning and/or wellbeing when children start school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Personal development is woven through the school's curriculum and wider work."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Although pupils' achievement in national examinations is improving, it is still too low."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Too many pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged, miss too much school."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "The curriculum is not implemented consistently well."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "The school's leadership team has recently been through a period of change."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue their work to improve pupils' attendance and reduce rates of persistent absence, so that all pupils, including those who face additional barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, benefit from regular attendance and full access to the curriculum"; "Leaders should further develop the curriculum to ensure that it is specifically tailored to the changing context and needs of the pupils in the school"; "Leaders should ensure that 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 teachers check more consistently on what key knowledge pupils remember. They should ensure that gaps in learning are addressed so that pupils build secure knowledge over time and are ready for the next steps in their education".

In 2025, 57% of Year 6 pupils at Drapers Mills Primary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 51% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Kent and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 34% in reading and 20% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 16 families put Drapers Mills Primary Academy as their first choice and 44 named it as one of their preferences, for 22 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 Drapers Mills Primary Academy are Salmestone Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 69% reading, 66% maths); Margate, Holy Trinity and St John's Church of England Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 44% reading, 44% maths); Northdown Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 64% reading, 60% maths); and St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, Margate (0.7 miles, Good, 85% reading, 80% maths).

Drapers Mills Primary Academy's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

Drapers Mills Primary Academy is one of 45 schools run by The Kemnal Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 71% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

76.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 43.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (47%) and Black (7%).

In 2026, 57 pupils (23.2%) received SEN support and 9 (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 speech, language and communication needs.

Drapers Mills Primary Academy had 10 teachers in 2026, one for every 28 pupils: fewer teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Margate Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.

12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Drapers Windmill (adjacent), 190 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Drapers Mills Primary Academy stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 584 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Kent (101), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Drapers Mills Primary Academy issued 152 suspensions, 54.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Drapers Mills Primary Academy are Hartsdown Academy (1 mile) and St George's Church of England Foundation School (1.4 miles).