Preston Primary School

Preston Primary School is performing exceptionally well across every judged area, with inspectors finding outstanding provision in the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years. Pupils are described as happy, confident and highly engaged learners who thrive academically and personally in a calm, purposeful and caring environment. The school’s RICH values are central to its work and are reflected strongly in pupils’ respectful, inclusive and hardworking attitudes.

Strengths

• An ambitious, innovative and carefully structured curriculum caters exceptionally well for mixed-age classes.
• The curriculum is as ambitious for pupils with SEND as for all others, with effective tailored adaptations.
• Children in Reception get off to a strong start and develop excellent foundations for future learning.
• Highly skilled teachers deliver exciting lessons that help pupils become reflective and independent learners.
• Reading has high priority, with very effective phonics teaching and swift support for pupils who need extra help.
• Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary, and their positive attitudes and strong attendance reflect a school where they want to be.
• Provision for pupils’ personal development is exceptional, including a wide range of clubs, visits and leadership opportunities.
• Pupils show great respect for different faiths, cultures and beliefs and have a strong voice in the school.
• The school builds positive partnerships with parents, and staff are proud to work there and feel well supported.
• Governors have a deep understanding of the school, and highly effective leadership is focused on pupils’ best interests.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Preston Primary School attended 95.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.8% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Preston Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Preston Primary School had 17.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 17.8% of pupils at Preston Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.9% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Preston Primary School received £6,817 and spent £7,024 for each of its 129 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £29,000 (£224 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Canterbury · Kent local authority: places and applications

What is Preston Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Preston Primary School is Outstanding, from an inspection in July 2025.

When was Preston Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Preston Primary School was last inspected in July 2025.

How many pupils does Preston Primary School have?

Preston Primary School has 129 pupils on roll.

What age range does Preston Primary School cover?

Preston Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Preston Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 63% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Preston Primary School?

Preston Primary School is at Mill Lane, Preston, Canterbury, Kent, CT3 1HB.