Palm Bay Primary School, Margate
Palm Bay Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Margate, part of Ekc Schools Trust Limited. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 8 schools in Margate with published results, and 6,110th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.2 first-choice applications for every place. It was 98% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Kent (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Palm Bay Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 81% of Year 6 pupils at Palm Bay Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 78% 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 (82% in reading, 74% in maths).
Getting a place at Palm Bay Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 72 families put Palm Bay Primary School as their first choice and 201 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 13 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Palm Bay Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Palm Bay Primary School are Cliftonville Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 63% reading, 59% maths); Northdown Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 64% reading, 60% maths); Drapers Mills Primary Academy (1.3 miles, Good, 57% reading, 51% maths); and Callis Grange Nursery and Infant School (1.3 miles, Good).
Palm Bay Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Cliftonville Primary SchoolNorthdown Primary SchoolDrapers Mills Primary AcademyCallis Grange Nursery and Infant School
The trust
Palm Bay 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.
What parents say
113 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Palm Bay Primary School (as of September 2025): 77% would recommend the school, 87% say their child is happy there and 60% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (90%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (60%).
Who goes there
8.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (77%) and Mixed (9%).
In 2026, 49 pupils (12%) received SEN support and 7 (1.7%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Margate Rail Station, about 2.1 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Palm Bay Primary School (adjacent), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 154 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. 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, Palm Bay Primary School issued 10 suspensions, 2.4 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; Ofsted Parent View; 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 agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Palm Bay Primary School has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in April 2022. Before that, as Palm Bay Primary School (URN 118583), it was rated Good in October 2014.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Palm Bay Primary School creates a happy environment where children feel proud to belong. Teachers are knowledgeable and confident in their teaching, and pupils with additional needs receive high-quality support. The school makes exceptional use of its beachside location to bring learning to life and helps every child develop confidence and responsibility.
Key Strengths
- Pupils achieve well with secure subject knowledge, particularly in reading where phonics is taught consistently well
- Personal development and well-being are outstanding, with extensive use of the beach location to enrich learning
- High-quality support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities ensures they learn well
- Strong art and design curriculum that contributes to pupils' enjoyment and cultural development
- Pupils take on a wide range of responsibilities and participation in clubs and activities is high
Areas for Improvement
- In some foundation subjects, pupils are less secure in applying their knowledge to explore ideas or interpret information - the school needs to better balance knowledge and skills development
- Some pupils have poor attendance without good reason, which means they miss important learning and do not achieve as well as they should
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school prioritising pupils' mental health and ensuring they know who to speak to if worried.
Extracurricular Activities
House captain opportunities, play leader roles, school council, visits to further education colleges, morning club, after-school club
Palm Bay Primary School is a happy, busy and friendly school where pupils achieve well and are well prepared for their next stage of education. The school sets high expectations for all pupils and makes an exceptionally strong contribution to their personal development and well-being.
At a Glance
27.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
113 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 remained stable at around 81% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 74% to 78% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 82% to 68% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.9
Avg class size
28.7
Infant (KS1)
29.0
KS2
8
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 Palm Bay Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Palm Bay Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Palm Bay 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
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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 Palm Bay Primary School
Will you get a place at Palm Bay Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Palm Bay Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Palm Bay Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Palm Bay 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 Palm Bay Primary School for 2023 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
98%
Near capacity
412 pupils
420 places
8 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Margate
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Margate
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
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
49
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
13.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
407
Total Pupils
204
Boys
203
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
17.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,728
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,136
Per pupil
£2442k
Total funding
£174k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.8%
Overall absence
13.6%
Persistent absence
374
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Palm Bay Primary School
What are SATs results like at Palm Bay Primary School?
Of the pupils at Palm Bay Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 81% reached the expected standard in reading and 78% did so in maths.
What is Palm Bay Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Palm Bay Primary School has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in April 2022. Before that, as Palm Bay Primary School (URN 118583), it was rated Good in October 2014.
What is the catchment area for Palm Bay Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Palm Bay 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 Palm Bay Primary School?
Palm Bay Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Palm Bay Primary School?
Classes at Palm Bay Primary School average 28.9 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 Palm Bay Primary School?
Palm Bay Primary School has around 407 pupils on roll. 27% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Palm Bay Primary School?
5.8% of sessions were missed at Palm Bay Primary School in 2024/25. 13.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Palm Bay Primary School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Palm Bay 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 Palm Bay Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Palm Bay Primary School?
Palm Bay Primary School is at Palm Bay Avenue, Cliftonville, Margate, Kent, CT9 3PP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)