West Minster Primary School, Sheerness
West Minster Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Sheerness. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2016. That was 9 years ago, so the rating may not reflect the school today. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 3rd-highest of the 10 schools in Sheerness with published results, and 7,842nd of 14,452 across England. It was 72% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2016)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- 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
West Minster Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 71% of Year 6 pupils at West Minster Primary School 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 fell from 84% in reading and 86% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at West Minster Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 35 families put West Minster Primary School as their first choice and 89 named it as one of their preferences, for 35 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at West Minster Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to West Minster Primary School are St Edward's Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 57% reading, 50% maths); Rose Street Primary School (0.5 miles, Requires improvement, 63% reading, 63% maths); Richmond Primary School (1 mile, Good, 70% reading, 63% maths); and Queenborough School and Nursery (1.1 miles, Outstanding, 90% reading, 88% maths).
West Minster Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
St Edward's Catholic Primary SchoolRose Street Primary SchoolRichmond Primary SchoolQueenborough School and Nursery
What parents say
37 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about West Minster Primary School (as of April 2026): 95% would recommend the school, 92% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (95%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Who goes there
56.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 2.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 112 pupils (23.7%) received SEN support and 36 (7.6%) 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.
West Minster Primary School has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs: 19 places, 19 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Sheerness-on-Sea Rail Station, about 1120 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bridgewater Road (adjacent), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood West Minster Primary School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 256 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.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, West Minster Primary School issued 13 suspensions, 2.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to West Minster Primary School are EKC Sheppey Secondary (1.1 miles) and Leigh Academy Minster (1.6 miles).
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
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 11 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
West Minster Primary School excels at helping every child succeed, regardless of their background or needs. Teachers are highly skilled and use excellent methods to help pupils read confidently and achieve well above average standards in key subjects. The school also offers fantastic opportunities beyond the classroom through clubs, trips and performances that help pupils build confidence and enjoy learning.
Key Strengths
- Pupils achieve significantly above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics with strong progress from starting points
- Early years provision is excellent with skilled staff who know children extremely well and ensure they make rapid progress
- Inclusive approach ensures pupils with special needs and disabilities receive tailored support and participate fully in school life
- Wide range of clubs, trips and enrichment activities help pupils develop confidence and resilience
- Expert teaching of core skills threaded seamlessly through all learning
Areas for Improvement
- School attendance remains below national average overall, though improving for disadvantaged pupils
- Some wider curriculum subjects need additional strengthening to ensure pupils learn with same depth as core subjects
- Leadership responsibilities need to be shared more widely across the leadership team
- Attendance improvements must continue to be refined with families and professionals
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - the school has created an open and positive culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, all legal requirements are met, and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Nursery breakfast club, debating club, music clubs, visits to places of worship, Diwali celebrations, school performances, sports fixtures, art and music enrichment activities
West Minster Primary School is a strong performing primary school on the Isle of Sheppey where pupils achieve very well, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics, which are consistently above national averages. The school creates an inclusive, nurturing environment where all pupils, including disadvantaged and vulnerable children, thrive and are well prepared for secondary education.
At a Glance
56.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: Speech and language
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
37 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 84% to 71% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 86% to 81% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 78% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
25.6
Avg class size
26.0
Infant (KS1)
26.6
KS2
17
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with West Minster Primary School
Before and after school care
West Minster 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
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to West Minster Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. West Minster 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
- 12
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 10 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt.
3 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 West Minster Primary School
Will you get a place at West Minster Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against West Minster Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for West Minster Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to West Minster 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 West Minster 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
72%
Available places
441 pupils
612 places
171 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Sheerness
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sheerness
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: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(14)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
112
SEN Support
36
EHC Plans
31.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
West Minster Primary School has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs: 19 places, 19 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
473
Total Pupils
236
Boys
237
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
20.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£44,643
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,169
Per pupil
£3207k
Total funding
£414k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.7%
Overall absence
26.1%
Persistent absence
398
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
West Minster Primary School
Questions parents ask about West Minster Primary School
What are SATs results like at West Minster Primary School?
Of the pupils at West Minster Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 71% reached the expected standard in reading and 81% did so in maths.
What is West Minster Primary School's Ofsted rating?
West Minster Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2025, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2016, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for West Minster Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When West Minster 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 West Minster Primary School?
West Minster Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 72% of its 612 places.
How big are the classes at West Minster Primary School?
Classes at West Minster Primary School average 25.6 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to West Minster Primary School?
West Minster Primary School has around 473 pupils on roll. 57% are eligible for free school meals.
Does West Minster Primary School have specialist SEN provision?
West Minster Primary School has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs: 19 places, 19 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at West Minster Primary School?
7.7% of sessions were missed at West Minster Primary School in 2024/25. 26.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to West Minster Primary School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming West Minster 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 West Minster Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
West Minster 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.
How many road collisions happen near West Minster Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 10 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt. 3 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 West Minster Primary School?
West Minster Primary School is at St George's Avenue, Sheerness, Kent, ME12 1ET.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)