Park Way Primary School, Maidstone
Park Way Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Maidstone. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 26th-highest of the 43 schools in Maidstone with published results, and 9,396th of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- 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 Kent (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Park Way Primary School in detail
Park Way Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "Schools are now required to publish their opening and closing times and the total amount of time this amounts to in a typical week. Park Way opens for Year R to Year 6 children at 8.45am (morning registration time is 8.55am) and closes at 3.15pm."
From the headteacher's welcome: "We hope that the children will learn respect for others, resilience in dealing with life’s challenges and to take responsibility for their own actions. We celebrate the success of all the children and are always endeavouring to seek new ways to improve the quality of learning opportunities for everyone."
The school runs a breakfast club from 8:00am, from £2 per session.
Coming up: an open day on Tuesday 10 November 2026 at 2pm, an open day on Thursday 12 November 2026 at 2pm and an open day on Tuesday 17 November 2026 at 2pm. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils at Park Way 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 98% in reading and 80% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Park Way Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 25 families put Park Way Primary School as their first choice and 100 named it as one of their preferences, for 45 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Park Way Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Park Way Primary School are South Borough Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 93% reading, 82% maths); Greenfields Community Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 69% reading, 80% maths); Leigh Academy Oaks (0.7 miles, Outstanding, 89% reading, 89% maths); and Tiger Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 75% reading, 75% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Park Way Primary School.
South Borough Primary SchoolGreenfields Community Primary SchoolLeigh Academy OaksTiger Primary School
Who goes there
34.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 34.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (50%), Asian (10%) and Mixed (6%).
In 2026, 22 pupils (7.2%) received SEN support and 3 (1%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Maidstone West Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Park Way (adjacent), 30 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 409 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, Park Way Primary School issued 18 suspensions, 5.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Park Way Primary School are Maidstone Grammar School (0.4 miles), New Line Learning Academy (0.8 miles), Valley Park School (0.9 miles) and Invicta Grammar School (1 mile).
Maidstone Grammar SchoolNew Line Learning AcademyValley Park SchoolInvicta Grammar 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
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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from January 2015, 11 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's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils work hard to embody the school values of respect, resilience and responsibility. They are kind and accepting of others. Pupils concentrate deeply in lessons to meet the high expectations of teachers. All pupils have opportunities to develop their skills of leadership. They act as play leaders to organise games at play time or represent their class on the school council. The school council has a clear impact on the school. For example, the council recently planned the redevelopment of pupils' toilets. Pupils are happy and feel safe. They know that teachers will deal with any concerns they may have. Pupils behave well and the school is calm and orderly as a result.
Pupils understand and appreciate diversity in the school community and beyond. They learn about all major world religions and visit local places of worship. Pupils celebrate the diversity in their own school. For instance, as part of the school's diversity week, parents and pupils shared their own cultural traditions and foods. Pupils also learn about other cultures through dance workshops. They are encouraged to consider the views of others and celebrate their differences. Pupils also contribute positively to the wider community. They undertake a range of charity work for local and international causes.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has planned an ambitious curriculum to meet the needs of all pupils, including those in mixed-age classes. Staff identify clearly what pupils should learn and the order they should learn it in. In most subjects, teachers help pupils make connections between new and previous learning. As a result, pupils remember the important skills and knowledge they learn.
Teachers check pupils' learning frequently and precisely. Staff address any misconceptions and identify gaps in learning quickly. They use this information to plan activities that help pupils catch up and keep up with their learning. In most subjects, teachers have secure subject knowledge. They select interesting resources that help pupils to learn new facts and skills. However, in some subjects, teachers do not explain what pupils are learning clearly enough. Consequently, some pupils do not learn as well as they could.
From Ofsted's July 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its January 2015 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
34.5%
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 98% to 78% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 80% to 67% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 77% to 73% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.7
Avg class size
10
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Park Way Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Park Way Primary School.
- Stay 'n' Play700m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Park Way Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Park Way 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
- 36
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 36 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 10 serious and 25 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
4 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 Park Way Primary School
Will you get a place at Park Way Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Park Way Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Park Way Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Park Way 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 Park Way 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
99%
Near capacity
312 pupils
315 places
3 spare places 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.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(10)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
22
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
8.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
307
Total Pupils
146
Boys
161
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
21.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,397
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,515
Per pupil
£1897k
Total funding
£124k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.5%
Overall absence
11.6%
Persistent absence
285
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 Park Way Primary School
What are SATs results like at Park Way Primary School?
Of the pupils at Park Way Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 78% reached the expected standard in reading and 67% did so in maths.
What is Park Way Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Park Way Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Park Way Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Park Way 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 Park Way Primary School?
Park Way Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Park Way Primary School?
Classes at Park Way Primary School average 27.7 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 Park Way Primary School?
Park Way Primary School has around 307 pupils on roll. 35% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Park Way Primary School?
5.5% of sessions were missed at Park Way Primary School in 2024/25. 11.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Park Way Primary School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Park Way 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.
Does Park Way Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Park Way Primary School: Stay 'n' Play (700m 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 Park Way Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 36 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 10 serious and 25 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 4 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 Park Way Primary School?
Park Way Primary School is at Park Way, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 7AH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)