Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School

Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School is a highly effective, caring primary school where pupils thrive academically and personally. Inspectors found an ambitious, carefully sequenced curriculum, strong teaching and high expectations from Reception onwards. Reading is central to the curriculum, phonics is taught well from the start, and pupils who fall behind are supported to catch up quickly. Pupils with SEND are identified promptly and supported effectively, while pupils behave exceptionally well and attend regularly. The school’s personal development offer is rich, with clubs, character-building opportunities and pupil responsibilities that help children grow in confidence and contribute to school life. Relationships are warm and respectful, and parents, staff and governors speak positively about the school’s family feel and cohesive community. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first section 5 inspection since 2014, when it was previously judged outstanding; it is also part of the 10:10 Federation. Inspectors identified no significant areas for improvement.

Strengths

• Ambitious and carefully ordered curriculum across the school
• Strong early reading and phonics provision with effective catch-up support
• Pupils attain highly and build secure knowledge over time
• Pupils with SEND are identified quickly and well supported
• Exemplary pupil behaviour and consistently high expectations
• Rich personal development offer including clubs and character-building opportunities
• Warm, respectful relationships and a cohesive school community
• Effective governance and strong federation working
• Parents are positive and value the school’s caring, nurturing environment
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

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 Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School attended 96.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.4% 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, 0.5% of pupils at Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England 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 Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School had 21.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 26.7% 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, 6.0% of pupils at Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.9% 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 Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School received £6,783 and spent £6,796 for each of its 216 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £144,000 (£666 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).

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What is Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School is Outstanding, from an inspection in March 2025.

When was Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School was last inspected in March 2025.

How many pupils does Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School have?

Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School has 216 pupils on roll.

What age range does Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School cover?

Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School?

Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School is at Beaman Close, Cranbrook Road, Goudhurst, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 1DZ.