St Peter's Methodist Primary School, Canterbury
St Peter's Methodist Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Canterbury. It has a Methodist religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 16th-highest of the 28 schools in Canterbury with published results, and 8,234th of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Below England average
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
St Peter's Methodist Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils at St Peter's Methodist Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 70% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Kent and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 70% in reading and 67% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Peter's Methodist Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 29 families put St Peter's Methodist Primary School as their first choice and 114 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 4 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St Peter's Methodist Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Peter's Methodist Primary School are St Johns Church of England Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 58% reading, 42% maths); St Thomas' Catholic Primary School, Canterbury (0.4 miles, Good, 87% reading, 93% maths); The Canterbury Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 63% reading, 66% maths); and Wincheap Foundation Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 85% reading, 73% maths).
St Peter's Methodist Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
St Johns Church of England Primary SchoolSt Thomas' Catholic Primary School, CanterburyThe Canterbury Primary SchoolWincheap Foundation Primary School
What parents say
45 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Peter's Methodist Primary School (as of September 2025): 96% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 82% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (82%).
Who goes there
39.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (43%), Black (10%) and other ethnic groups (10%).
In 2026, 21 pupils (10.1%) received SEN support and 9 (4.3%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Canterbury West Rail Station, about 480 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Westgate Towers (after), 250 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 566 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, St Peter's Methodist Primary School issued 11 suspensions, 5.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Peter's Methodist Primary School are The Canterbury Academy (0.6 miles), Barton Court Grammar School (0.7 miles), The Archbishop's School (1 mile) and Barton Manor School (1.1 miles).
The Canterbury AcademyBarton Court Grammar SchoolThe Archbishop's SchoolBarton Manor School
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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from March 2015, 11 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 November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Peter's creates a genuinely warm and welcoming environment where children thrive emotionally and develop strong relationships with each other. The school is ambitious in its teaching, with a well-planned curriculum that helps pupils build knowledge progressively - from early reading and number work through to stronger mathematical problem-solving and articulate class discussions. Pupils benefit from excellent enrichment opportunities including diverse clubs, forest school, and trips to historical sites that bring their learning to life.
Key Strengths
- Warm, family-like relationships between pupils with strong pastoral care and buddy systems
- Clear curriculum with well-defined learning steps that help teachers deliver effective lessons
- Strong reading and writing development, especially among older pupils who develop a love of reading
- Supportive leadership that manages staff workload well and enables productive teaching
- Wide range of extra-curricular clubs and educational trips that link to classroom learning
Areas for Improvement
- Not all teachers consistently apply adaptations needed to support pupils with special educational needs, which can lead to some struggling or becoming distracted
- Limited breadth of learning activities in the outdoor area for early years children, restricting opportunities to practise skills through play
- Early years outdoor space needs more engaging opportunities to explore interests and embed learning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with pupils feeling safe and knowing adults are there to help with worries.
Extracurricular Activities
Forest school, nurture class, clubs (diverse range), trips to historical sites, local events, breakfast club, after-school club
St Peter's Methodist Primary School is a caring school where pupils are respectful, proud, and feel safe. The school has maintained good standards and continues to provide a well-structured curriculum that helps most pupils succeed.
At a Glance
27.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
45 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 improved from 70% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 70% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 80% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.7
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
29.5
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Peter's Methodist Primary School
Before and after school care
St Peter's Methodist Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Kent
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Peter's Methodist Primary School.
- Activate Camps @ The King's School530m away · Not yet graded
- Premier Education WAC - St John's CofE Primary School620m away · Not yet graded
- Canterbury Kumon950m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Peter's Methodist Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Peter's Methodist 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
- 83
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 11
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 83 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 11 serious and 71 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
15 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 St Peter's Methodist Primary School
Will you get a place at St Peter's Methodist Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Peter's Methodist Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Peter's Methodist Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Peter's Methodist 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 St Peter's Methodist 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
209 pupils
210 places
1 spare place in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Canterbury
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Canterbury
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(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
21
SEN Support
9
EHC Plans
14.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
208
Total Pupils
99
Boys
109
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
18.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,639
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,686
Per pupil
£1357k
Total funding
£92k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.4%
Overall absence
15.3%
Persistent absence
189
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 St Peter's Methodist Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Peter's Methodist Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Peter's Methodist Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 80% reached the expected standard in reading and 70% did so in maths.
What is St Peter's Methodist Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Peter's Methodist Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Peter's Methodist Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Peter's Methodist 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 St Peter's Methodist Primary School?
St Peter's Methodist Primary School was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at St Peter's Methodist Primary School?
Classes at St Peter's Methodist Primary School average 29.7 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Peter's Methodist Primary School?
St Peter's Methodist Primary School has around 208 pupils on roll. 28% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Peter's Methodist Primary School?
6.4% of sessions were missed at St Peter's Methodist Primary School in 2024/25. 15.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Peter's Methodist Primary School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming St Peter's Methodist 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 St Peter's Methodist Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
St Peter's Methodist Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Ofsted's childcare register lists 3 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of St Peter's Methodist Primary School: Activate Camps @ The King's School (530m away, registered, not yet graded), Premier Education WAC - St John's CofE Primary School (620m away, registered, not yet graded) and Canterbury Kumon (950m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near St Peter's Methodist Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 83 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 11 serious and 71 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 15 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 St Peter's Methodist Primary School?
St Peter's Methodist Primary School is at St Peter's Grove, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2DH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)