Wateringbury Church of England Primary School

Wateringbury Church of England Primary School has improved rapidly since its previous inspection and now provides a warm, caring education where pupils achieve well. Pupils feel safe and happy, behave with courtesy, and show a strong sense of acceptance and fairness. The school has developed an ambitious curriculum that is clearly sequenced from Reception to Year 6, including in mixed-age classes, and staff have high expectations that help pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, learn successfully. Reading and phonics are a clear priority, and pupils become confident, fluent readers with swift support for anyone who falls behind. Teachers generally explain learning clearly and check understanding, although checks on spelling and key vocabulary are sometimes not precise enough. Personal development is a standout feature, with an excellent range of clubs, an annual arts festival and strong pastoral support helping pupils manage their physical and mental health. Leaders, staff and governors work effectively together, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. Two main areas need further work. A small group of pupils with historic gaps in learning follow a curriculum that consolidates key skills but does not introduce new content quickly enough, so these pupils are not narrowing their gaps. The school also needs to ensure that staff consistently check pupils’ spelling, transcription and use of subject-specific vocabulary. This was a graded inspection, so no single overall effectiveness grade was awarded.

Strengths

• Warm, caring school culture where pupils treat others with acceptance and consideration.
• Pupils behave well, are courteous and create a calm, purposeful atmosphere.
• Ambitious curriculum is clearly sequenced from Reception to Year 6, including mixed-age classes.
• Strong reading and phonics provision helps pupils become confident, fluent readers.
• Pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well because staff identify barriers and adapt learning.
• Exceptional personal development through rich clubs, an arts festival and strong pastoral support.
• Dedicated staff are well supported, and governors provide strong challenge and support.
• Effective work to improve attendance and reduce absence for pupils with the lowest attendance.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum for a small group of pupils with historic gaps consolidates key skills but does not introduce new content quickly enough, so gaps are not narrowing.
• Checks on pupils’ spelling, transcription and subject-specific vocabulary are not precise or consistent enough.

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 Wateringbury Church of England Primary School attended 93.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 21.6% 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, 3.3% of pupils at Wateringbury 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 Wateringbury Church of England Primary School had 20.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.3% 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, 13.4% of pupils at Wateringbury Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.0% 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 Wateringbury Church of England Primary School received £7,877 and spent £7,410 for each of its 134 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £130,000 (£970 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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All schools in Maidstone · Kent local authority: places and applications

What is Wateringbury Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Wateringbury Church of England Primary School is Good, from an inspection in September 2025.

When was Wateringbury Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Wateringbury Church of England Primary School was last inspected in September 2025.

How many pupils does Wateringbury Church of England Primary School have?

Wateringbury Church of England Primary School has 134 pupils on roll.

What age range does Wateringbury Church of England Primary School cover?

Wateringbury Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Wateringbury Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Wateringbury Church of England Primary School?

Wateringbury Church of England Primary School is at 147 Bow Road, Wateringbury, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 5EA.