Preston Primary School, Canterbury

Good
Primary
Community school
Mixed
Ages 411

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~1.6km)Possible (~2.3km)Unlikely (~2.9km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Helen Clements
Pupils:129 / 133 capacity
LA:Kent
Phone:01227722235
Address:Mill Lane, Preston, Canterbury, CT3 1HB
Federation:The Federation of Preston and Wingham
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Outstanding

Quality of Education

Outstanding

Behaviour & Attitudes

Outstanding

Personal Development

Outstanding

Leadership & Management

Outstanding

Early Years

Inspected 24 June 2025View full report
URN:118401
UKPRN:10073328
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Herne Bay and Sandwich
Urban/Rural:Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Preston Primary School excels at creating a happy, purposeful learning environment where children develop confidence and independence. Teachers use exciting activities and 'flourish days' to help pupils show what they know in their own way. The school prioritises reading from Reception onwards and ensures every child gets the right support to succeed.

Key Strengths

  • Ambitious, innovative curriculum carefully structured for mixed-age classes with excellent provision for pupils with special educational needs
  • Highly skilled teaching with interesting activities that develop reflective, confident and independent learners
  • Exceptional reading provision with systematic phonics teaching from Reception and swift support for those needing extra help
  • Exemplary pupil behaviour and positive attitudes to learning, with strong demonstration of the school's RICH values
  • Outstanding personal development including a wide range of clubs, visits, visitors and leadership opportunities

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective with a strong open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.

Extracurricular Activities

Clubs, visits, visitors to school, breakfast and after-school provision, leadership opportunities

Preston Primary School is an outstanding school where pupils are happy, thrive as well-rounded individuals, and excel academically. The school has exceptionally high expectations and provides a caring environment with a strong culture of kindness.

At a Glance

13.2%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

46 responses
Would recommend98%
Child is happy100%
Well taught98%
Good progress91%
Feels safe98%
Well behaved96%
Bullying dealt with13%
Kept informed100%
Handles concerns59%
Wider development98%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-21ppMaths-11ppWriting-11pp

Reading has declined from 100% to 79%. Maths has declined from 95% to 84%. Writing has declined from 90% to 79%.

Class Sizes

24.4

Avg class size

26.0

Infant (KS1)

24.7

KS2

5

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

The Green (S-bound)
85m · 1 min walk
The Forstal (opp)
217m · 4 min walk
The Half Moon and Seven Stars (opp)
305m · 5 min walk
Court Lane (opp)
556m · 9 min walk
Sweech Farm (adj)
772m · 13 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

97%

Near capacity

129 pupils

133 capacity

4 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Canterbury

High pressure
New homes approved:2,787
Projected new pupils:697

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Canterbury

Admissions Demand - Kent

Low demand0.86x oversubscription

Places available

19,144

Applications

16,524

Got 1st preference

90.6%

Got preferred school

98.5%

Primary admissions across Kent (2025/26)

Inspection History(7)

24 June 2025
Quality of EducationOutstanding
Behaviour & AttitudesOutstanding
Personal DevelopmentOutstanding
Leadership & ManagementOutstanding
Early YearsOutstanding
1 February 2024
22 May 2018

House Prices

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

4.40963%

Overall absence

9.82143%

Persistent absence

112

Enrolments

Authorised3.31509%
Unauthorised1.09454%
Persistent (10%+)9.82143%
Severe (50%+)0%

Absence trend

2.62134%
18/19
2.86108%
20/21
6.2025%
21/22
4.35901%
22/23
4.54618%
23/24
4.40963%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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