Westmeads Community Infant School, Whitstable
Westmeads Community Infant School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 7 in Whitstable. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade. It was 80% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
- 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
Westmeads Community Infant School in detail
Westmeads Community Infant School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "We appreciate you taking the time to find out about us and our school. Here at Westmeads Community Infant School, we aim to give our amazing pupils the very best start to their educational journey. Our intent focuses on the high expectations we have of everyone and our belief that everyone has the ability to succeed."
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care, from £12 per session.
Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 18 November 2026, an open day on Monday 7 December 2026 and an open day on Thursday 7 January 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Westmeads Community Infant School
For September 2026 entry, 63 families put Westmeads Community Infant School as their first choice and 130 named it as one of their preferences, for 59 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 4 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Westmeads Community Infant School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Westmeads Community Infant School are Whitstable and Seasalter Endowed Church of England Junior School (0.2 miles, Outstanding, 87% reading, 83% maths); St Alphege Church of England Infant School (0.4 miles, Good); Whitstable Junior School (0.4 miles, Good, 81% reading, 77% maths); and St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whitstable (0.4 miles, Good, 75% reading, 81% maths).
Whitstable and Seasalter Endowed Church of England Junior SchoolSt Alphege Church of England Infant SchoolWhitstable Junior SchoolSt Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whitstable
What parents say
59 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Westmeads Community Infant School (as of September 2025): 98% would recommend the school, 98% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school supports their child's wider development (98%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Who goes there
7.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (81%) and Mixed (9%).
In 2026, 30 pupils (16.4%) received SEN support and 4 (2.2%) 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.
Staffing
Westmeads Community Infant School had 9 teachers in 2026, one for every 16 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Whitstable Rail Station, about 400 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Westmeads School (adjacent), 30 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Westmeads Community Infant School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); 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 · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school creates a warm, inclusive environment where every child is welcomed and encouraged to be confident, independent learners. Reading is a priority, with expert teaching and specialist support ensuring all pupils flourish. Staff truly know each child and adapt lessons so everyone - including those with additional needs - can succeed and feel proud of their achievements.
Key Strengths
- Reading is at the heart of the curriculum with expert phonics teaching - most pupils are fluent readers by end of Year 1
- Carefully sequenced curriculum from Reception to Year 2 that builds independence and connects new learning to bigger ideas
- Exceptional behaviour and character development, with pupils learning self-regulation strategies and contributing positively to their community
- Teachers have excellent subject knowledge and systematically adapt teaching to support and challenge every pupil, including those with SEND
- Wide range of extra-curricular opportunities and rich experiences that develop confidence and self-assurance
Areas for Improvement
- Published Year 1 phonics screening outcomes do not fully reflect pupils' actual achievement, as some pupils starting from low baselines do not meet the expected standard in Year 1 (though most become fluent readers by end of Year 2)
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff and pupils feeling safe and supported.
Extracurricular Activities
Singing, sporting events, trips to sites of historical interest, outdoor learning, swimming, school council roles, community events (winter lunch, carnival), trips to places of worship, breakfast club, after-school club
Westmeads Community Infant School has been transformed by leaders' strategic vision and now provides an outstanding education. Pupils are eager to attend, behave exceptionally well, and thrive in a welcoming environment built on kindness and high expectations for all.
At a Glance
19.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
59 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
24.2
Avg class size
22.6
Infant (KS1)
6
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Westmeads Community Infant School
Westmeads Newsletters (Term 5) 2025/26
22 May 2026
Westmeads Newsletters (Term 4) 2025/26
2 Apr 2026
Westmeads Newsletters (Term 3) 2025/26
13 Feb 2026
Westmeads Newsletters (Term 2) 2025/26
19 Dec 2025
Westmeads Newsletters (Term 1) 2025/2026
17 Oct 2025
Westmeads Newsletters (Term 6) 2024/2025
19 Jul 2025
From Westmeads Community Infant School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Westmeads Community Infant School
Before and after school care
Westmeads Community Infant 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 Westmeads Community Infant School.
- Whitstable Junior School Wrap Around Care590m away · Not yet graded
- Teamtheme Holidays Sports Camp - St Mary's Catholic Primary, Whitstable670m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Westmeads Community Infant School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Westmeads Community Infant 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
- 19
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 4 serious and 14 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot.
2 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 Westmeads Community Infant School
Will you get a place at Westmeads Community Infant School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Westmeads Community Infant School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Westmeads Community Infant School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Westmeads Community Infant School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Kent, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Westmeads Community Infant 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
80%
Available places
144 pupils
180 places
36 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Whitstable
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Whitstable
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
30
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
18.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
183
Total Pupils
84
Boys
99
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
20.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,242
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,742
Per pupil
£924k
Total funding
£44k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.4%
Overall absence
6.9%
Persistent absence
102
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
Westmeads Community Infant School
Questions parents ask about Westmeads Community Infant School
What is Westmeads Community Infant School's Ofsted rating?
Westmeads Community Infant School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Westmeads Community Infant School?
No fixed boundary. When Westmeads Community Infant 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 Westmeads Community Infant School?
Westmeads Community Infant School was not full in 2025: it ran at 80% of its 180 places.
How big are the classes at Westmeads Community Infant School?
Classes at Westmeads Community Infant School average 24.2 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Westmeads Community Infant School?
Westmeads Community Infant School has around 183 pupils on roll. 20% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Westmeads Community Infant School?
4.4% of sessions were missed at Westmeads Community Infant School in 2024/25. 6.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Westmeads Community Infant School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Westmeads Community Infant 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 Westmeads Community Infant School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Westmeads Community Infant 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 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Westmeads Community Infant School: Whitstable Junior School Wrap Around Care (590m away, registered, not yet graded) and Teamtheme Holidays Sports Camp - St Mary's Catholic Primary, Whitstable (670m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near Westmeads Community Infant School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 4 serious and 14 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot. 2 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 Westmeads Community Infant School?
Westmeads Community Infant School is at Cromwell Road, Whitstable, Kent, CT5 1NA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)