The Discovery School, West Malling
The Discovery School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in West Malling. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 10 schools in West Malling with published results, and 1,534th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2023)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- 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
The Discovery School in detail
The Discovery School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Everyone at our school is very proud of our children and the outcomes they achieve. We passionately believe that every child is a unique individual with a skill to be nurtured and that his or her potential is without limits."
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 4 November 2026 at 9.30am, an open day on Tuesday 10 November 2026 at 9.30am, an open day on Monday 16 November 2026 at 9.30am and an open day on Wednesday 6 January 2027 at 9.30am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
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, 91% of Year 6 pupils at The Discovery School reached the expected standard in reading and 89% 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, 87% in maths).
Getting a place at The Discovery School
For September 2026 entry, 77 families put The Discovery School as their first choice and 196 named it as one of their preferences, for 90 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 2 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to The Discovery School are Kings Hill School Primary and Nursery (0.8 miles, Outstanding, 80% reading, 78% maths); Valley Invicta Primary School At Kings Hill (0.9 miles, Good, 93% reading, 93% maths); Wateringbury Church of England Primary School (1.5 miles, Requires improvement, 79% reading, 79% maths); and More Park Catholic Primary School (1.6 miles, Good, 84% reading, 88% maths).
The Discovery School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Kings Hill School Primary and NurseryValley Invicta Primary School At Kings HillWateringbury Church of England Primary SchoolMore Park Catholic Primary School
Who goes there
8.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 5.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (75%), Mixed (9%) and Asian (5%).
In 2026, 62 pupils (9.8%) received SEN support and 9 (1.4%) 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 railway station is East Malling Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Holly Way (opposite), 120 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Discovery School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Discovery School issued 1 suspension, 0.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
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
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 · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its February 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
8.2%
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 remained stable at around 91% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 89% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 84% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.2
Avg class size
29.9
Infant (KS1)
30.4
KS2
21
Total classes
5 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with The Discovery School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Discovery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Discovery 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
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 2 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 The Discovery School
Will you get a place at The Discovery School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Discovery School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Discovery School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Discovery School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Kent, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Discovery 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
101%
Over capacity
636 pupils
630 places
6 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - West Malling
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for West Malling
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(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
62
SEN Support
9
EHC Plans
11.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
634
Total Pupils
325
Boys
309
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
33
Teachers
19.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,625
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,059
Per pupil
£3452k
Total funding
£71k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.4%
Overall absence
13.0%
Persistent absence
563
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
The Discovery School
Questions parents ask about The Discovery School
What are SATs results like at The Discovery School?
Of the pupils at The Discovery School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 91% reached the expected standard in reading and 89% did so in maths.
What is The Discovery School's Ofsted rating?
The Discovery School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2023.
What is the catchment area for The Discovery School?
No fixed boundary. When The Discovery 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 The Discovery School?
The Discovery School was full in 2025, at 101% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at The Discovery School?
Classes at The Discovery School average 30.2 pupils (2025/26). 5 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to The Discovery School?
The Discovery School has around 634 pupils on roll. 8% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Discovery School?
5.4% of sessions were missed at The Discovery School in 2024/25. 13% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Discovery School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming The Discovery 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 The Discovery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 2 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 The Discovery School?
The Discovery School is at Discovery Drive, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4GJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)