Lordswood School, Chatham
Lordswood School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Chatham, part of The Griffin Schools Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 5th-highest of the 17 schools in Chatham with published results, and 3,694th of 14,452 across England. It was 90% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Medway (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Lordswood School in detail
Results
In 2025, 84% of Year 6 pupils at Lordswood 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 rose from 73% in reading and 90% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Lordswood School
For September 2026 entry, 40 families put Lordswood School as their first choice and 159 named it as one of their preferences, for 41 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Lordswood School are St Benedict's Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles, 87% reading, 84% maths); Walderslade Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 93% reading, 93% maths); Swingate Primary School (0.6 miles); and Swingate Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 93% reading, 93% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Lordswood School.
St Benedict's Catholic Primary SchoolWalderslade Primary SchoolSwingate Primary SchoolSwingate Primary School
The trust
Lordswood School is one of 13 schools run by The Griffin Schools Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 78% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
52 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Lordswood School (as of September 2025): 92% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 73% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child does well at the school (98%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (73%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Chatham Rail Station, about 2.8 miles away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lordswood School (adjacent), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Lordswood School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 153 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and shoplifting. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Medway (250).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Lordswood School issued 2 suspensions, 0.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Lordswood School are Greenacre School (0.8 miles), Walderslade School (0.9 miles) and PGW Partnership of Greenacre and Walderslade (1 mile).
Greenacre SchoolWalderslade SchoolPGW Partnership of Greenacre and Walderslade
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; Ofsted Parent View; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from January 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Lordswood School excels at making every child feel safe, valued and inspired to learn. Teachers know their pupils well and adapt learning to suit individual needs, whether they need extra support or greater challenge. Your child will develop not just academically but as a confident, resilient learner who understands their feelings and respects others.
Key Strengths
- Excellent teaching of reading with strong phonics support and frequent practice throughout the curriculum
- Outstanding behaviour and conduct with calm, focused pupils who apply themselves diligently in lessons
- Ambitious curriculum that goes beyond national requirements with expert subject knowledge from staff
- Exceptional support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities
- Strong personal development opportunities through charity work, arts festivals, sports, and leadership roles
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils who join at untypical times do not reach national expectations by the end of key stage 2, though they make good progress while at the school
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Fundraising for local and national charities, arts festivals, sporting events, pupil parliament, curriculum review roles
Lordswood School is an outstanding primary school where pupils are inspired by knowledgeable staff and an ambitious curriculum. Pupils feel safe, valued, and thrive both academically and socially.
At a Glance
22.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
52 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 73% to 84% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 90% to 85% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 85% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.4
Avg class size
27.6
Infant (KS1)
27.3
KS2
12
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
1 unlawfully large infant class
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Lordswood School
Celebrating Black History Month at Lordswood ❤️💛💚🖤
2 Oct 2026
Lordswood Olympics - Years 1, 2 & 3
2 Oct 2026
Griffin Sports Festival Day 5
2 Oct 2026
Griffin Sports Festival Day 4
1 Oct 2026
Lordswood Olympics - Years 4,5,6
30 Sep 2026
Griffin Sports Festival Day 3
30 Sep 2026
From Lordswood School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Lordswood School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Lordswood School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Lordswood School is in Medway; for families living there:
Apply to Medway for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 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 Medway is 25 (the median across 117 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 Lordswood School
Will you get a place at Lordswood School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Lordswood School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Lordswood School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Lordswood School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Medway, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Lordswood School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Medway 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.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
90%
Near capacity
379 pupils
420 places
41 spare places 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.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(5)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good and may be improving; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
58
SEN Support
20
EHC Plans
19.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
409
Total Pupils
210
Boys
199
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
20
Teachers
20.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,462
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,019
Per pupil
£2090k
Total funding
£127k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.5%
Overall absence
15.3%
Persistent absence
326
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
Questions parents ask about Lordswood School
What are SATs results like at Lordswood School?
Of the pupils at Lordswood School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 84% reached the expected standard in reading and 85% did so in maths.
What is Lordswood School's Ofsted rating?
Lordswood School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Lordswood School?
No fixed boundary. When Lordswood 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 Lordswood School?
Lordswood School was not full in 2025: it ran at 90% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at Lordswood School?
Classes at Lordswood School average 26.4 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Lordswood School?
Lordswood School has around 409 pupils on roll. 23% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Lordswood School?
5.5% of sessions were missed at Lordswood School in 2024/25. 15.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Lordswood School?
Apply through Medway's coordinated admissions process, naming Lordswood 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 Lordswood School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 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 Medway is 25 (the median across 117 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Lordswood School?
Lordswood School is at Lordswood Lane, Chatham, Kent, ME5 8NN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)