West Minster Primary School

West Minster Primary School is performing strongly overall. Pupils achieve very well, with outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics consistently above national averages, and disadvantaged pupils also achieving significantly well. Early years provision, inclusion and personal development are particular strengths: children get a strong start, pupils with SEND are well supported, and pupils benefit from a wide range of enriching opportunities. Safeguarding standards are met. Behaviour and teaching are secure. Pupils behave very well in a calm and purposeful environment, and the curriculum is broad, ambitious and well sequenced, with especially expert teaching in reading and mathematics. Leaders are already addressing the main areas for development: attendance remains below the national average and persistent absence is above average, so some pupils miss too much school; oversight of priorities is not yet fully shared across the wider leadership team; and some wider curriculum subjects need further strengthening so that pupils learn with the same depth and security as in the strongest subjects. The school serves a community in an area of high deprivation and has a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals. It is part of the Sheerness West Federation, includes a resourced provision for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, and has recently opened nursery provision for two-year-olds. Leadership has changed recently, with interim senior leaders in post since September 2025.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve very well, with reading, writing and mathematics outcomes consistently above national averages.
• Disadvantaged pupils achieve significantly above national averages.
• Early years provision is strong, with skilled staff and precise support for children's language and development.
• The school is highly inclusive and provides expert support for pupils with SEND, including speech, language and communication needs.
• Personal development is highly effective, with wide opportunities in clubs, trips, pupil voice and cultural experiences.
• Pupils behave very well and show positive attitudes in a calm, purposeful learning environment.
• The curriculum is broad, ambitious and well sequenced, with expert teaching in reading and mathematics.
• Leaders and governors are strategic, reflective and focused on pupils' best interests.
• Strong partnerships with parents, carers and professionals support pupils' learning and wellbeing.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.

Areas for Improvement

• Attendance remains below the national average, and persistent absence is above average.
• Some pupils do not attend school regularly enough, which can limit their achievement.
• Oversight of school priorities is not yet shared across the wider leadership team.
• Some wider curriculum subjects need further development so pupils learn with the same depth and security as in the strongest subjects.
• The school must continue refining its work with families and professionals to remove barriers to positive attendance.

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 West Minster Primary School attended 92.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 26.1% 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, 1.1% of pupils at West Minster 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 West Minster Primary School had 20.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 17.7% 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, 23.7% of pupils at West Minster Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 7.6% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has resourced provision with 20 pupils.

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 West Minster Primary School received £8,441 and spent £8,494 for each of its 464 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £375,000 (£808 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 Sheerness · Kent local authority: places and applications

What is West Minster Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for West Minster Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in January 2026.

When was West Minster Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

West Minster Primary School was last inspected in January 2026.

How many pupils does West Minster Primary School have?

West Minster Primary School has 473 pupils on roll.

What age range does West Minster Primary School cover?

West Minster Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

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

In 2025, 66% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is West Minster Primary School?

West Minster Primary School is at St George's Avenue, Sheerness, Kent, ME12 1ET.