Holywell Primary School, Sittingbourne
Holywell Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Sittingbourne, part of Ekc Schools Trust Limited. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 24 schools in Sittingbourne with published results, and 637th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.3 first-choice applications for every place. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Kent (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Holywell Primary School in detail
Holywell Primary School in its own words
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, yoga, gardening and cheerleading.
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:15am and after-school care.
Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 94% of Year 6 pupils at Holywell Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 94% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Kent and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 87% in reading and 90% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Holywell Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 40 families put Holywell Primary School as their first choice and 77 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 10 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Holywell Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Holywell Primary School are Lower Halstow Primary School (1 mile, Good, 40% reading, 53% maths); Riverside Primary School (1.5 miles, Good, 61% reading, 62% maths); Newington Church of England Primary School (1.6 miles, Good, 85% reading, 81% maths); and Hartlip Endowed Church of England Primary School (2 miles, Good, 80% reading, 60% maths).
Holywell Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Lower Halstow Primary SchoolRiverside Primary SchoolNewington Church of England Primary SchoolHartlip Endowed Church of England Primary School
The trust
Holywell Primary School is one of 12 schools run by Ekc Schools Trust Limited, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 73% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
14.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 5.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 29 pupils (13.7%) received SEN support and 4 (1.9%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Newington Rail Station, about 1.8 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Holywell School (opposite), 10 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 11 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and public order offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Holywell Primary School issued 1 suspension, 0.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoHolywell Primary School has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in March 2020. Before that, as Holywell Primary School (URN 118549), it was rated Good in April 2013.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils cannot wait to get into school when they arrive in the morning. They are eager for the day ahead, excited by the challenges of the curriculum and what their teachers have in store for them. Pupils learn an ambitious curriculum that is enriched by a wide variety of interesting experiences.
Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. They apply themselves to their learning, working hard and with enthusiasm. Pupils develop a good understanding of the subjects they study and are keen to talk about their learning.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has a culture of high expectations for all their pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Everyone working in the school is dedicated to realising these aspirations. The curriculum is designed to ensure that pupils are well prepared for the next steps in their education and their future lives. This includes extensive, well-considered opportunities that extend pupils' experiences beyond the curriculum.
Pupils develop a deep understanding of the knowledge and skills they study across the curriculum. They draw confidently on what they already know when learning new things. They build on their prior knowledge successfully, deepening and extending their understanding. They convey their ideas confidently in writing, using interesting and varied vocabulary. Sometimes, however, pupils' writing contains several errors in spelling, punctuation and letter formation because this knowledge is not secure.
From Ofsted's July 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
At a Glance
14.6%
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 87% to 94% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 90% to 94% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 84% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.0
Avg class size
30.5
Infant (KS1)
29.7
KS2
5
Total classes
3 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Holywell Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Holywell Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Holywell 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
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 3 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 Holywell Primary School
Will you get a place at Holywell Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Holywell Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Holywell Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Holywell 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 Holywell Primary School for 2021 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
99%
Near capacity
208 pupils
210 places
2 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Sittingbourne
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sittingbourne
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
29
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
15.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
212
Total Pupils
112
Boys
100
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
21.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,489
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,936
Per pupil
£1128k
Total funding
£41k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.4%
Overall absence
6.1%
Persistent absence
180
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
Holywell Primary School
Questions parents ask about Holywell Primary School
What are SATs results like at Holywell Primary School?
Of the pupils at Holywell Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 94% reached the expected standard in reading and 94% did so in maths.
What is Holywell Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Holywell Primary School has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in March 2020. Before that, as Holywell Primary School (URN 118549), it was rated Good in April 2013.
What is the catchment area for Holywell Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Holywell 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 Holywell Primary School?
Holywell Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Holywell Primary School?
Classes at Holywell Primary School average 30 pupils (2025/26). 3 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Holywell Primary School?
Holywell Primary School has around 212 pupils on roll. 15% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Holywell Primary School?
3.4% of sessions were missed at Holywell Primary School in 2024/25. 6.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Holywell Primary School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Holywell 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 Holywell Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 3 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Holywell Primary School?
Holywell Primary School is at Forge Lane, Upchurch, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 7AE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)