Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School, Folkestone
Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Folkestone. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 19 schools in Folkestone with published results, and 3,408th of 14,452 across England. It was 93% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than 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 Peter's Church of England Primary School in detail
Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to St Peter's Church of England Primary School, Folkestone. I hope that this is the beginning of a long and happy relationship with our school. St Peter's Church of England Primary School sits on top of the East Cliff overlooking Folkestone harbour. The School was established in 1872."
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care until 5:30pm, from £3.50 per day.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils at Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 90% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Kent and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 71% in reading and 59% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 15 families put Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 51 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 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 Peter's Church of England Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School are St Eanswythe's Church of England Primary School (0.3 miles, Outstanding, 84% reading, 77% maths); Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary Academy (0.4 miles, Good, 69% reading, 72% maths); Christ Church Cep Academy, Folkestone (0.5 miles, Good, 84% reading, 83% maths); and Castle Hill Community Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 65% reading, 57% maths).
Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
St Eanswythe's Church of England Primary SchoolFolkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary AcademyChrist Church Cep Academy, FolkestoneCastle Hill Community Primary School
What parents say
15 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School (as of September 2025): 93% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 75% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that pupils behave well (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (75%).
Who goes there
52% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 34 pupils (34.7%) received SEN support and 1 (1%) 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 Peter's Church of England Primary School had 8 teachers in 2026, one for every 12 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 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Radnor Bridge (nw-bound), 180 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 470 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Kent (101), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School are Folkestone Academy (1.2 miles), The Harvey Grammar School (1.4 miles), The Folkestone School for Girls (1.6 miles) and Turner Free School (1.8 miles).
Folkestone AcademyThe Harvey Grammar SchoolThe Folkestone School for GirlsTurner Free School
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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from November 2015, 10 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's December 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Peter's is a welcoming, inclusive school where children are genuinely happy and excited about learning. The school has high ambitions for every child, including those with additional needs, and uses skilled teaching and strong pastoral support to help them succeed. Pupils are encouraged to become active members of their school and local community, developing important life skills and values like resilience and kindness.
Key Strengths
- Pupils have excellent behaviour and attitudes to learning, with a focused and purposeful environment
- Reading is a strong priority with skilled phonics teaching and high-quality interventions helping pupils progress
- The school effectively identifies and supports pupils with SEND, adapting teaching so they learn the same content as their peers
- Strong community involvement through school council, sports leaders, and collaboration with local artists and charities
- Warm relationships between staff and pupils create a well-motivated, happy school environment
Areas for Improvement
- Some older pupils lack sufficient stamina for extended writing and do not write at length enough in their work
- Pupils' recall of number facts is not always fluent, limiting their ability to apply mathematical knowledge effectively
- More opportunities needed for older pupils to practise extended writing to embed new approaches
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Breakfast club, after-school club, drama activities with high-quality texts, collaboration with local artists and music groups, charity performances, fundraising events for local charities, sports leaders organising breaktime activities
St Peter's Church of England Primary School has successfully maintained the good standards from its previous inspection. The school has responded effectively to low national assessments in 2024 through curriculum refinement and continues to provide a nurturing, inclusive environment where pupils behave well and have excellent attitudes to learning.
At a Glance
52.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
15 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 71% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 59% to 90% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 60% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
19.6
Avg class size
13.7
Infant (KS1)
28.5
KS2
5
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School
Before and after school care
Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Kent
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School.
- Teachsport Canterbury470m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Folkestone, St Peter's 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)
- Collisions
- 36
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 36 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 8 serious and 27 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
4 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 Peter's Church of England Primary School
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What the report includes for Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Folkestone, St Peter's 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 Folkestone, St Peter's 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
93%
Near capacity
98 pupils
105 places
7 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(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
34
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
35.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
98
Total Pupils
50
Boys
48
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
8
Teachers
12.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,152
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,839
Per pupil
£845k
Total funding
£58k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.0%
Overall absence
14.0%
Persistent absence
100
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 Peter's Church of England Primary School
Questions parents ask about Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School
What are SATs results like at Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School?
Of the pupils at Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 80% reached the expected standard in reading and 90% did so in maths.
What is Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Folkestone, St Peter's 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 Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School?
Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 93% of its 105 places.
How big are the classes at Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School?
Classes at Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School average 19.6 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School?
Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School has around 98 pupils on roll. 52% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School?
4% of sessions were missed at Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School in 2024/25. 14% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Folkestone, St Peter's 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.
Does Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School: Teachsport Canterbury (470m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 36 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 8 serious and 27 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 4 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 Peter's Church of England Primary School?
Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary School is at The Durlocks, Folkestone, Kent, CT19 6AL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)