Elham Church of England Primary School, Canterbury
Elham Church of England Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Canterbury. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2022 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 15th-highest of the 28 schools in Canterbury with published results, and 7,614th of 14,452 across England. It was 75% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Kent (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Elham Church of England Primary School in detail
Elham Church of England Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Elham Church of England Primary School, which has been at the heart of Elham village for over one hundred years. I am proud to lead this wonderful school at the heart of our village community - a place where Faith, Achievement, Community, and Empathy guide everything we do ."
The school runs a breakfast club from 8:00am and after-school care, from £3.50 per session.
Coming up: an open day on Saturday 7 November 2026 and an open day on Monday 9 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils at Elham Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 73% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Kent and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 74% in reading and 58% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Elham Church of England Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 11 families put Elham Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 40 named it as one of their preferences, for 13 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Elham Church of England Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Elham Church of England Primary School are Lyminge Church of England Primary School (1.9 miles, Good, 67% reading, 50% maths); Selsted Church of England Primary School (2.9 miles, Good, 75% reading, 56% maths); Stowting Church of England Primary School (3.4 miles, Good, 100% reading, 100% maths); and The Churchill School (3.4 miles, 86% reading, 70% maths).
Elham Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Lyminge Church of England Primary SchoolSelsted Church of England Primary SchoolStowting Church of England Primary SchoolThe Churchill School
Who goes there
9.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 9.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (84%) and Mixed (7%).
In 2026, 4 pupils (4.9%) received SEN support and 1 (1.2%) 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 autism.
Staffing
Elham Church of England Primary School had 7 teachers in 2026, one for every 14 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Elham Church of England Primary School.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Rose and Crown (opposite), 190 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 1 crime within a mile of the school, most often public order offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).
Suspensions and exclusions
Elham Church of England Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoThis judgement is from January 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its January 2013 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
9.8%
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 improved from 74% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 58% to 73% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 80% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
14.0
Avg class size
15.0
Infant (KS1)
2
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Elham Church of England Primary School
Forest School in Term 1
9 Sep 2026
PE in TERM 1
9 Sep 2026
OPEN DAY - SATURDAY, 7TH NOVEMBER 2026
9 Sep 2026
New News Story 1
25 Mar 2026
From Elham Church of England Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Elham Church of England Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Elham Church of England Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Elham Church of England Primary School is in Kent; for families living there:
Apply to Kent for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Kent is 11 (the median across 711 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
Your chances of a place at Elham Church of England Primary School
Will you get a place at Elham Church of England Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Elham Church of England Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Elham Church of England Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Elham Church of England Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Kent, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Elham Church of England Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Kent got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
75%
Available places
98 pupils
131 places
33 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Canterbury
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Canterbury
Across Kent council
Places available
18,893
Applications
16,593
Got 1st preference
89.7%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All primary applications across Kent council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
4
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
6.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
82
Total Pupils
41
Boys
41
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
7
Teachers
11.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,916
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,905
Per pupil
£713k
Total funding
£24k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.0%
Overall absence
14.1%
Persistent absence
99
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Elham Church of England Primary School
What are SATs results like at Elham Church of England Primary School?
Of the pupils at Elham Church of England Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 80% reached the expected standard in reading and 73% did so in maths.
What is Elham Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Elham Church of England Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2022, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Elham Church of England Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Elham Church of England Primary School is oversubscribed, Kent allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Elham Church of England Primary School?
Elham Church of England Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 75% of its 131 places.
How big are the classes at Elham Church of England Primary School?
Classes at Elham Church of England Primary School average 14 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Elham Church of England Primary School?
Elham Church of England Primary School has around 82 pupils on roll. 10% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Elham Church of England Primary School?
5% of sessions were missed at Elham Church of England Primary School in 2024/25. 14.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Elham Church of England Primary School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Elham Church of England Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Elham Church of England Primary School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Kent is 11 (the median across 711 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Elham Church of England Primary School?
Elham Church of England Primary School is at Vicarage Lane, Elham, Canterbury, Kent, CT4 6TT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)