Palmarsh Primary School, Hythe
Palmarsh Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Hythe. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2016. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 3rd-highest of the 6 schools in Hythe with published results, and 7,353rd of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.9 first-choice applications for every place. It was 97% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2016)
- Demand
- 1.9 first choices per place
- 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 27 Oct 2026
Palmarsh Primary School in detail
Palmarsh Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to our school. Palmarsh Primary is a small school situated in the heart of the Palmarsh community at the western end of Hythe. We believe in supporting and developing each and every child in our care, to help them reach their full potential. At Palmarsh, we are proud of our relationships with our pupils and their families."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 87% of Year 6 pupils at Palmarsh Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 67% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Kent and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 88% in reading and 72% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Palmarsh Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 39 families put Palmarsh Primary School as their first choice and 70 named it as one of their preferences, for 20 places offered. That is 1.9 first choices for every place. 19 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Palmarsh Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Palmarsh Primary School are Hythe Bay CofE Primary School (1.3 miles, Good, 64% reading, 60% maths); Lympne Church of England Primary School (1.3 miles, Good, 96% reading, 92% maths); St Augustine's Catholic Primary School (1.4 miles, 70% reading, 74% maths); and Saltwood CofE Primary School (1.8 miles, Good, 83% reading, 70% maths).
Palmarsh Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Hythe Bay CofE Primary SchoolLympne Church of England Primary SchoolSt Augustine's Catholic Primary SchoolSaltwood CofE Primary School
What parents say
66 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Palmarsh Primary School (as of September 2025): 97% would recommend the school, 97% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (99%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Who goes there
2.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (84%) and Mixed (6%).
In 2026, 21 pupils (10.3%) received SEN support and 7 (3.4%) 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 tram or metro stop is Hythe Station (RHDR), about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St George's Place (opposite), 150 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 18 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).
Suspensions and exclusions
Palmarsh Primary 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; 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 agoThis judgement is from March 2016, 10 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's April 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Palmarsh provides a warm, inclusive environment where your child will feel safe and valued. The school excels at teaching reading and has high expectations for all pupils' learning and behaviour. Your child will benefit from exciting trips, responsibility roles like managing the school farm, and exceptional support tailored to their individual needs.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional support for pupils with SEND, enabling them to flourish and participate fully in learning
- Strong reading programme with methodical phonics teaching and pupils who love reading
- Inclusive culture where pupils feel safe, valued, and have warm relationships with staff
- High expectations for learning and pupil behaviour with excellent attendance focus
- Wide range of ambitious trips, experiences and responsibility roles including school farm
Areas for Improvement
- Some gaps in pupils' prior knowledge in wider curriculum subjects where improvements have not fully considered how to address these gaps
- Need to equip staff with better skills to design tasks that help pupils learn and remember the most important content over time
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with a strong open culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
School farm (donkeys, goats, pigs), karaoke assemblies, library activities, ambitious trips and experiences, school animals care
Palmarsh Primary School is a small coastal primary school with big aspirations and an inclusive culture where pupils are happy, confident, and achieve well. The school has maintained its good standards and continues to provide high-quality education with strong support for all learners.
At a Glance
29.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
66 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 87% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 72% to 67% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 88% to 83% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.1
Avg class size
29.3
Infant (KS1)
29.0
KS2
7
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Palmarsh Primary School
Palmarsh Post
2 Oct 2026
Palmarsh Post 18/09/26
18 Sep 2026
Palmarsh Post 11/09/26
11 Sep 2026
Palmarsh Post 10/07/26
10 Jul 2026
Palmarsh Post 03/07/26
3 Jul 2026
Palmarsh Post 26/06/26
26 Jun 2026
From Palmarsh Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Palmarsh Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Palmarsh Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Palmarsh 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
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 8 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
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 Palmarsh Primary School
Will you get a place at Palmarsh Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Palmarsh Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Palmarsh Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Palmarsh 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 Palmarsh Primary School for 2014 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
97%
Near capacity
204 pupils
210 places
6 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Hythe
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Hythe
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: 1.9 first choices per place
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
21
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
13.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
204
Total Pupils
99
Boys
105
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
22.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,103
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,468
Per pupil
£1229k
Total funding
£82k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.6%
Overall absence
9.4%
Persistent absence
181
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
Palmarsh Primary School
Questions parents ask about Palmarsh Primary School
What are SATs results like at Palmarsh Primary School?
Of the pupils at Palmarsh Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 87% reached the expected standard in reading and 67% did so in maths.
What is Palmarsh Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Palmarsh Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2016, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Palmarsh Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Palmarsh 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 Palmarsh Primary School?
Palmarsh Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Palmarsh Primary School?
Classes at Palmarsh Primary School average 29.1 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Palmarsh Primary School?
Palmarsh Primary School has around 204 pupils on roll. 29% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Palmarsh Primary School?
4.6% of sessions were missed at Palmarsh Primary School in 2024/25. 9.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Palmarsh Primary School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Palmarsh 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 Palmarsh Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 8 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 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 Palmarsh Primary School?
Palmarsh Primary School is at St George's Place, Hythe, Kent, CT21 6NE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)