Shepherdswell Church of England Primary School, DOVER

Ofsted's report card from its 17 March 2026 inspection grades Shepherdswell Church of England Primary School on 7 areas: 2 strong standard and 5 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "The school's culture successfully promotes high standards of attendance and behaviour."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders have created a highly inclusive environment in which barriers to learning are identified swiftly and removed effectively."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils make secure progress through the carefully designed and well-sequenced curriculum."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders and staff across the school have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum, which is sequenced appropriately."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders ensure that children in early years have a successful start to their education."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders know the school and community very well."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders prioritise pupils' personal development."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure their work to improve the quality and effectiveness of phonics teaching is sustained and leads to consistently secure outcomes for pupils"; "Leaders should continue to improve the consistency of the quality of teaching across subjects and year groups so that pupils achieve similarly high standards across the curriculum".

In its own words: "Our Church of England Primary school is set in the middle of the village of Shepherdswell. In 2012 Shepherdswell federated with Eythorne-Elvington school and although we are separate schools we share one governing body and work closely together."

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am and after-school care.

In 2025, 89% of Year 6 pupils at Shepherdswell Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 96% 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 (90% in reading, 94% in maths).

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 38 families put Shepherdswell Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 71 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 8 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state primary schools to Shepherdswell Church of England Primary School are Lydden Primary School (1.4 miles, Good, 92% reading, 83% maths); Eythorne Elvington Community Primary School (1.7 miles, Outstanding, 79% reading, 84% maths); Temple Ewell Church of England Primary School (2.6 miles, Good, 95% reading, 95% maths); and Nonington Church of England Primary School (2.8 miles, Requires improvement, 17% reading, 17% maths).

Shepherdswell Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

105 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Shepherdswell Church of England Primary School (as of April 2026): 96% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 60% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (60%).

16% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (86%) and Mixed (5%).

In 2026, 33 pupils (15.5%) received SEN support and 5 (2.3%) 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 a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

The nearest railway station is Shepherds Well Rail Station, about 490 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).

5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Bell (adjacent), 100 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 20 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).

Shepherdswell Church of England Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.