Herne Church of England Infant and Nursery School, Herne Bay

Outstanding
Primary
Voluntary controlled school
Mixed
Church of England
Ages 37

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~931m)Possible (~1.3km)Unlikely (~1.7km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs E Thomas-Friend
Pupils:318 / 270 capacity
LA:Kent
Phone:01227740793
Address:Palmer Close, Herne, Herne Bay, CT6 7AH
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Outstanding

Overall

URN:118710
UKPRN:10079667
Diocese:Diocese of Canterbury
Constituency:Herne Bay and Sandwich
Urban/Rural:Urban: Further from a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Your child will be welcomed into a warm, kind environment where staff know them well and provide exactly the right support for their needs. The school has excellent systems to identify and help pupils who need extra support, whether they have special educational needs or are learning English as an additional language. From Nursery onwards, children develop strong communication skills and a love of reading, with well-established routines that help them feel safe and ready to learn.

Key Strengths

  • Ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum with strong focus on communication and language development
  • Expert support for pupils with special educational needs and disadvantaged pupils, enabling them to access the same curriculum as peers
  • High-quality teaching with skilled staff who use discussions to check understanding and move learning forward
  • Strong culture of calm, respectful behaviour with warm interactions throughout the school
  • Excellent early years provision with effective phonics teaching and strong parent partnerships

Areas for Improvement

  • Too early to see impact of phonics curriculum improvements on published screening check outcomes

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met. Leaders and governors have fulfilled their responsibilities, established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, and pupils are made safer and feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Extra-curricular clubs, beach visits, cinema trips, minigolf course visits

Herne Church of England Infant and Nursery School is a strong performing school with ambitious curriculum design and excellent inclusion practices. Leaders and staff are highly skilled at supporting all pupils, particularly those with special educational needs and disadvantaged learners.

At a Glance

14.1%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

28.7

Avg class size

29.8

Infant (KS1)

10

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Streetfield (adj)
245m · 4 min walk
Church (adj)
376m · 6 min walk
Woodrow Chase (adj)
430m · 7 min walk
Windmill (opp)
616m · 10 min walk
Strode Park (adj)
629m · 10 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

118%

Over capacity

318 pupils

270 capacity

48 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Herne Bay

Low pressure
New homes approved:516
Projected new pupils:129

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Herne Bay

Admissions Demand - Kent

Low demand0.86x oversubscription

Places available

19,144

Applications

16,524

Got 1st preference

90.6%

Got preferred school

98.5%

Primary admissions across Kent (2025/26)

Inspection History(105)

Date not published by Ofsted
Outstanding
Date not published by Ofsted
Outstanding
Date not published by Ofsted
Outstanding

House Prices

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.4951%

Overall absence

13.81215%

Persistent absence

181

Enrolments

Authorised3.60165%
Unauthorised1.89345%
Persistent (10%+)13.81215%
Severe (50%+)0%

Absence trend

3.54038%
18/19
1.81204%
20/21
4.95811%
21/22
4.44925%
22/23
4.88262%
23/24
5.4951%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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