West Hill Primary Academy, Dartford

Ofsted's report card from its 20 January 2026 inspection grades West Hill Primary Academy on 7 areas: 1 strong standard and 6 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Pupils are extremely well supported in their personal development."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils achieve well in the school."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders ensure that pupils and families understand that it is important to attend school regularly."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have established an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders are ambitious for all children to receive the best possible start to school and their education."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders identify pupils' needs quickly and accurately."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to achieve highly and be ready for their next steps."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should continue to embed improvements in how well the curriculum is adapted to meet pupils' needs. • Leaders should continue to adapt and refine their approaches to reducing persistent absence rates among disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities".

Coming up: an open day on Tuesday 10 November 2026 at 9.30am and an open day on Thursday 12 November 2026 at 4.15pm. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2025, 88% of Year 6 pupils at West Hill Primary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 81% 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 (84% in reading, 80% in maths).

For September 2026 entry, 45 families put West Hill Primary Academy as their first choice and 177 named it as one of their preferences, for 50 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to West Hill Primary Academy are Our Lady's Catholic Primary School, Dartford (0.3 miles, Good, 100% reading, 94% maths); Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, Dartford (0.4 miles, Good, 76% reading, 65% maths); Westgate Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 97% reading, 94% maths); and Wentworth Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 73% reading, 72% maths).

West Hill Primary Academy's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

West Hill Primary Academy is one of 8 schools run by The Golden Thread Alliance, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 65% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

80 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about West Hill Primary Academy (as of April 2026): 91% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 57% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (57%).

50.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Asian (32%), White British (30%) and Black (14%).

In 2026, 48 pupils (8.9%) received SEN support and 18 (3.3%) 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.

The nearest railway station is Dartford Rail Station, about 1160 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).

13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is West Hill Primary Academy (opposite), 40 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood West Hill Primary Academy stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 349 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Kent (101), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, West Hill Primary Academy issued 15 suspensions, 2.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to West Hill Primary Academy are Dartford Grammar School (0.2 miles), Dartford Grammar School for Girls (0.3 miles), Dartford Science & Technology College (0.4 miles) and Haberdashers' Crayford Academy (1 mile).