Horsted Junior School has closed (Monday 31 August 2026).
It became an academy, which has a new school record. The school at this address is now Horsted Junior School.
Horsted Junior School, Chatham
Horsted Junior School is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Chatham. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in September 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 3rd-highest of the 17 schools in Chatham with published results, and 3,012th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 103% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- Capacity
- Full
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Data last updated 8 Oct 2026
Horsted Junior School in detail
Horsted Junior School in its own words
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, rugby, hockey, cricket, choir, Lego, cooking, film and Spanish.
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 87% of Year 6 pupils at Horsted Junior School reached the expected standard in reading and 85% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 72% in Medway and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 91% in reading and 89% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Horsted Junior School
Across Medway, 94% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 99% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Medway lodged 48 appeals against primary school offers; 37 reached a hearing and 15 succeeded (40.5% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Horsted Junior School are Horsted Junior School (under 0.1 miles); Horsted Infant School (under 0.1 miles, Good); Horsted Infant School (under 0.1 miles); and Oaklands School (0.5 miles, 80% reading, 70% maths).
Horsted Junior SchoolHorsted Infant SchoolHorsted Infant SchoolOaklands School
Who goes there
12.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (76%), Black (7%) and Asian (6%).
In 2026, 43 pupils (17.2%) received SEN support and 7 (2.8%) 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.
Staffing
Horsted Junior School had 16 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Chatham Rail Station, about 2.2 miles away in a straight line.
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Watson Avenue (n-bound), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 147 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Medway (250).
Suspensions and exclusions
Horsted Junior School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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
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 · 3 years agoThis judgement is from April 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its April 2014 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
20.8%
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 declined from 91% to 87% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 89% to 85% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 87% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
31.3
Avg class size
31.3
KS2
8
Total classes
6 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Horsted Junior School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Horsted Junior School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Horsted Junior School is in Medway; for families living there:
Apply to Medway for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
103%
Over capacity
247 pupils
240 places
7 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Chatham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Chatham
Across Medway council
Places available
3,675
Applications
3,130
Got 1st preference
93.9%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Medway council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
43
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
20.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
250
Total Pupils
137
Boys
113
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
15.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,010
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,017
Per pupil
£1385k
Total funding
£74k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.0%
Overall absence
6.7%
Persistent absence
254
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Horsted Junior School
What are SATs results like at Horsted Junior School?
Of the pupils at Horsted Junior School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 87% reached the expected standard in reading and 85% did so in maths.
What is Horsted Junior School's Ofsted rating?
Horsted Junior School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in April 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Horsted Junior School?
No fixed boundary. When Horsted Junior School is oversubscribed, Medway allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Horsted Junior School?
Horsted Junior School was full in 2025, at 103% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Horsted Junior School?
Classes at Horsted Junior School average 31.3 pupils (2025/26). 6 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Horsted Junior School?
Horsted Junior School has around 250 pupils on roll. 21% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Horsted Junior School?
4% of sessions were missed at Horsted Junior School in 2024/25. 6.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Horsted Junior School?
Apply through Medway's coordinated admissions process, naming Horsted Junior School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
Where is Horsted Junior School?
Horsted Junior School is at Barberry Avenue, Chatham, Kent, ME5 9TF.