Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy, Folkestone
Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Folkestone. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2016. That was 10 years ago, so the rating may not reflect the school today. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 13th-highest of the 19 schools in Folkestone with published results, and 10,218th of 14,452 across England. It was 86% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2016)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
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
Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy in detail
Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy in its own words
In its own words: "Welcome to Folkestone St Mary’s Church of England Primary Academy - a school where every child is known, nurtured, and empowered to succeed in their own way. As Headteacher, my vision for leadership is rooted in transparency, collaboration, and a deep belief in the potential of every child and every member of staff."
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils at Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 72% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Kent and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 69% in reading and 61% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy
For September 2026 entry, 34 families put Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy as their first choice and 73 named it as one of their preferences, for 34 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy are Martello Primary (0.2 miles, Good, 70% reading, 78% maths); Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 80% reading, 90% maths); Castle Hill Community Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 65% reading, 57% maths); and Mundella Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 70% reading, 70% maths).
Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Martello PrimaryFolkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary SchoolCastle Hill Community Primary SchoolMundella Primary School
What parents say
49 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy (as of April 2026): 92% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 78% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (94%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (74%).
Who goes there
4.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (86%) and Mixed (6%).
In 2026, 69 pupils (17%) received SEN support and 10 (2.5%) 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.
Staffing
Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy had 23 teachers in 2026, one for every 16 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Folkestone Central Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Foreland Avenue (opposite), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 388 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Kent (101), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy are Folkestone Academy (1.3 miles) and The Harvey Grammar School (1.6 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 11 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is a happy, caring school where every child feels they belong. Staff know pupils well and provide thoughtful support for those who need it most, particularly vulnerable learners and those with special educational needs. The school brings the world into the classroom through international partnerships and enrichment activities that help pupils learn about diversity and become responsible citizens.
Key Strengths
- Strong pastoral care and support for vulnerable pupils, including those with special educational needs
- Positive behaviour and warm relationships between staff and pupils throughout the school
- Well-designed curriculum with precise knowledge and skills
- Effective early years provision with children achieving well by end of Reception
- New leadership making tangible improvements to pupil attendance
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching does not consistently help pupils recall and retain key knowledge across subjects
- Writing standards are not high enough and do not reflect pupils' understanding
- Catch-up support for pupils falling behind in reading is not precise enough
- Too many pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils, miss school regularly
- Quality of pupils' work varies too much between classes
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have created an open and positive culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Dance club, crochet club, art club, football club, finger skateboarding club, girls' futsal tournament, national choir, beach trips, library visits, church visits, author visits
Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy is a warm, nurturing school where pupils feel safe and valued. However, pupils are not learning as well as they should, with inconsistent teaching quality and gaps in foundational knowledge affecting their progress.
At a Glance
28.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
49 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 69% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 61% to 72% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 72% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.2
Avg class size
24.3
Infant (KS1)
26.6
KS2
11
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy 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)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
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 Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy
Will you get a place at Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Kent, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy 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
86%
Available places
361 pupils
420 places
59 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Folkestone
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Folkestone
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
69
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
19.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
406
Total Pupils
188
Boys
218
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
17.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,761
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,375
Per pupil
£2290k
Total funding
£186k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.4%
Overall absence
20.6%
Persistent absence
335
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy
Questions parents ask about Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy
What are SATs results like at Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy?
Of the pupils at Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 69% reached the expected standard in reading and 72% did so in maths.
What is Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?
Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2025, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2016, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy is oversubscribed, Kent allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy?
Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 86% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy?
Classes at Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy average 26.2 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy?
Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy has around 406 pupils on roll. 29% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy?
7.4% of sessions were missed at Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy in 2024/25. 20.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy 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 Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Kent is 11 (the median across 711 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy?
Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy is at Warren Road, Folkestone, Kent, CT19 6QH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)