Ofsted: Good trending_up Popular emoji_events #35 in Kent public Top 17% UK

South Borough Primary School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMr Mathew Currie

corporate_fareSWALE ACADEMIES TRUST

location_onMaidstone, ME15 6TL

language Visit Website phone 1622752161

verified

Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2018

groups

Students

509

school

Expected Standard

77%

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Demand Ratio

1.3x

summarize

South Borough Primary School is a Academy converter primary school in Maidstone, serving ages 3-11. Rated Good by Ofsted. Demand is above capacity (1.3×) — apply through your local authority on time. Ranks in the top 17% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

South Borough Primary School is an academy converter in Maidstone, Kent, admitting pupils aged 3-11. It is part of SWALE ACADEMIES TRUST. The school has approximately 447 pupils on roll, of whom 28% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 77% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 15% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #35 of 424 primaries in Kent and #1,074 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2018. The school's current overall rating is Good.

The school is oversubscribed — in the most recent cycle, there were 1.3× as many applications as places, making a successful application competitive.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 25.5:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 0.7 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

77%

LA 61%

Reading93% LA 74%

Writing87% LA 72%

Maths82% LA 70%

Read SS

109

Maths SS

107

GPS SS

105

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

86%

LA 60%England 61%

Reading93% LA 75% · Eng 74%

Writing90% LA 73% · Eng 72%

Maths89% LA 69% · Eng 73%

Read SS

107

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

104

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

85%

LA 58%England 60%

Reading96% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Writing93% LA 72% · Eng 71%

Maths87% LA 69% · Eng 73%

Read SS

108

Maths SS

107

GPS SS

106

Progress (0 = national avg)

4.3

Read

LA -0.4

2.8 to 5.7

3.4

Write

LA -0.2

2.0 to 4.7

3.2

Maths

LA -1.2

1.8 to 4.5

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

94%

LA 67%England 65%

Reading94% LA 75% · Eng 73%

Writing97% LA 81% · Eng 78%

Maths97% LA 77% · Eng 79%

Read SS

109

Maths SS

109

GPS SS

108

Progress (0 = national avg)

4.2

Read

LA 0.0

1.9 to 6.4

2.8

Write

LA 0.1

0.7 to 4.8

3.7

Maths

LA -0.6

1.7 to 5.7

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

83%

LA 65%

Reading90% LA 76%

Writing90% LA 80%

Maths93% LA 73%

Read SS

108

Maths SS

108

GPS SS

108

Progress (0 = national avg)

4.8

Read

LA 0.0

2.7 to 6.9

3.1

Write

LA 0.4

1 to 5.2

5.3

Maths

LA -0.5

3.4 to 7.2

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

25 April 2023

Inspection Report

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16 January 2018

Inspection Report

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03 February 2015

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

2 Evaluations

2018-01-16

S5 Inspection Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2012-10-23

None Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

0.4%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.4%(2 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 447 pupils. During this period, there were 2 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 0.4%, which is below the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	447	2	0.4%	0.8%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	440	4	0.9%	0.9%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	483	3	0.6%	0.8%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	486	4	0.8%	0.7%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	473	4	0.8%	0.8%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	511	1	0.2%	0.7%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	509	5	1.0%	0.6%	1
2022/23 (Autumn term)	499	3	0.6%	0.6%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	493	11	2.2%	0.5%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	487	10	2.1%	0.5%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	488	17	3.5%	0.5%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	473	7	1.5%	0.4%	0
2020/21 (Spring term)	451	4	0.9%	0.1%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	456	33	7.2%	0.4%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	430	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	430	10	2.3%	0.4%	0
2019/20 (Autumn term)	418	9	2.2%	0.6%	0
2018/19 (Summer term)	420	3	0.7%	0.4%	0
2018/19 (Spring term)	409	4	1.0%	0.5%	0
2018/19 (Autumn term)	406	7	1.7%	0.5%	0
2017/18 (Summer term)	368	0	0.0%	0.5%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	364	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	358	1	0.3%	0.5%	0
2016/17 (Summer term)	304	2	0.7%	0.4%	0
2016/17 (Spring term)	300	1	0.3%	0.4%	0
2016/17 (Autumn term)	295	0	0.0%	0.5%	0

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 30 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 20 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 7 pupils

Physical Disability 7 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 6 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 5 pupils

Visual Impairment 3 pupils

Hearing Impairment 1 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

99.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

97.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

24.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree44%

agree43%

disagree5%

strongly disagree3%

don't know5%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree53%

agree40%

disagree6%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree38%

agree31%

disagree8%

don't know4%

not applicable19%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

yes17%

no83%

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree69%

agree23%

disagree8%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree48%

agree44%

disagree3%

don't know5%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree58%

agree40%

disagree1%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree55%

agree43%

disagree3%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree58%

agree38%

don't know4%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree56%

agree31%

disagree12%

strongly disagree1%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree49%

agree38%

disagree3%

strongly disagree1%

don't know9%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes95%

no5%

Top Primary Schools in Kent

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

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Westgate Primary School

Good

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Leigh Academy Cherry Orchard

Outstanding

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Kingsdown and Ringwould Church of England Primary School

Outstanding

location_on Deal, CT14 8DD

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Thornden Wood Primary School

Good

location_on Herne Bay, CT6 7RS

emoji_events #4 in LA

Leigh Academy Paddock Wood

Good

location_on Tonbridge, TN12 6JE

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The Discovery School

Outstanding

location_on West Malling, ME19 4GJ

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View all schools in Kent arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Kent

Westgate Primary School

Leigh Academy Cherry Orchard

Kingsdown and Ringwould Church of England Primary School

Thornden Wood Primary School

Leigh Academy Paddock Wood

The Discovery School