North Borough Junior School, Maidstone
North Borough Junior School is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Maidstone. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 21st-highest of the 43 schools in Maidstone with published results, and 7,842nd of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 104% of capacity.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- Capacity
- Full
- Attendance
- Below England average
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
North Borough Junior School in detail
North Borough Junior School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to North Borough Junior School. We have a warm, dedicated and friendly staff team who have high expectations of achievement and behaviour. We believe that creating the right educational environment allows each child to aim for the very best they can."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball and cricket.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils at North Borough Junior School reached the expected standard in reading and 77% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Kent and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 81% in reading and 61% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at North Borough Junior School
Across Kent, 90% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 98% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Kent lodged 237 appeals against primary school offers; 166 reached a hearing and 18 succeeded (10.8% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to North Borough Junior School are St Paul's Infant School (under 0.1 miles, Good); Sandling Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 82% reading, 68% maths); Valley Invicta Primary School At East Borough (0.8 miles, Good, 81% reading, 81% maths); and Brunswick House Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 72% reading, 78% maths).
North Borough Junior School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
St Paul's Infant SchoolSandling Primary SchoolValley Invicta Primary School At East BoroughBrunswick House Primary School
Who goes there
34.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 41.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (43%), Asian (20%) and Mixed (8%).
In 2026, 81 pupils (23.1%) received SEN support and 7 (2%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Maidstone East Rail Station, about 800 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Boxley Road TA Centre (adjacent), 270 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 420 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Kent (101), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, North Borough Junior School issued 17 suspensions, 4.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to North Borough Junior School are Maidstone Grammar School for Girls (0.6 miles), The Maplesden Noakes School (0.7 miles), Invicta Grammar School (0.9 miles) and Valley Park School (1 mile).
Maidstone Grammar School for GirlsThe Maplesden Noakes SchoolInvicta Grammar SchoolValley Park School
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; 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 June 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2014 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
34.6%
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 declined from 81% to 75% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 61% to 77% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 60% to 68% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.3
Avg class size
29.3
KS2
10
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with North Borough Junior School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near North Borough Junior School.
- Busy Bodies OSC930m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to North Borough Junior School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. North Borough Junior 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
- 25
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 20 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
10 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
104%
Over capacity
356 pupils
341 places
15 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Maidstone
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Maidstone
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.
Inspection History(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
81
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
25.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
350
Total Pupils
180
Boys
170
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
19
Teachers
18.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,504
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,400
Per pupil
£2150k
Total funding
£173k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.2%
Overall absence
19.9%
Persistent absence
387
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 North Borough Junior School
What are SATs results like at North Borough Junior School?
Of the pupils at North Borough Junior School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 75% reached the expected standard in reading and 77% did so in maths.
What is North Borough Junior School's Ofsted rating?
North Borough Junior School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for North Borough Junior School?
No fixed boundary. When North Borough Junior 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 North Borough Junior School?
North Borough Junior School was full in 2025, at 104% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at North Borough Junior School?
Classes at North Borough Junior School average 29.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to North Borough Junior School?
North Borough Junior School has around 350 pupils on roll. 35% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at North Borough Junior School?
6.2% of sessions were missed at North Borough Junior School in 2024/25. 19.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to North Borough Junior School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming North Borough 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.
Does North Borough Junior School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of North Borough Junior School: Busy Bodies OSC (930m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near North Borough Junior School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 20 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 10 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 North Borough Junior School?
North Borough Junior School is at North Borough Junior School, Peel Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 2BP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)