Hoath Primary School, Canterbury

Ofsted's report card from its 27 January 2026 inspection grades Hoath Primary School on 7 areas: 4 strong standard and 3 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders have high expectations for attendance."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders ensure that the school promotes a highly effective culture of inclusion."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders understand their school context extremely well."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders' work to promote pupils' character and access to wider opportunities in school is highly effective."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Staff have a detailed knowledge of pupils' starting points."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching at the school."

Early years - Expected standard. "Children in the early years arrive at school happily each morning."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should ensure that strategies to support pupils to quickly close gaps in knowledge and understanding, particularly in early reading and writing, become embedded and consistent across the school. • Leaders should continue to refine their identified priorities for development and embed highly effective teaching across all subjects so that it is reflected in pupils' achievements".

In 2025, 86% of Year 6 pupils at Hoath Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 79% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Kent and 77% and 75% across England.

Results were similar in 2024 (80% in reading, 87% in maths).

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 25 families put Hoath Primary School as their first choice and 83 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 places offered. That is 1.7 first choices for every place. 11 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state primary schools to Hoath Primary School are Chislet Church of England Primary School (1.2 miles, Good, 67% reading, 80% maths); Water Meadows Primary School (1.4 miles, Good, 86% reading, 71% maths); Herne Church of England Infant and Nursery School (1.5 miles, Outstanding); and Herne Church of England Junior School (1.6 miles, Outstanding, 88% reading, 90% maths).

Hoath Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.

51 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Hoath Primary School (as of April 2026): 90% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (80%).

1.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (91%) and Mixed (6%).

In 2026, 29 pupils (27.4%) received SEN support and 5 (4.7%) 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 autism.

Hoath Primary School had 8 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Herne Bay Rail Station, about 2.8 miles away in a straight line.

In August 2026, police recorded 8 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).

Hoath Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.