Bridge and Patrixbourne Church of England Primary School

Bridge and Patrixbourne Church of England Primary School is recognized as a good school that effectively supports pupil development and learning. Pupils take pride in their school, demonstrate good manners, and engage actively in their education, benefitting from a well-structured curriculum that promotes knowledge retention. The school's emphasis on personal development is notable, with various leadership opportunities and community engagement activities enhancing students' character and preparing them for life in modern Britain. Additionally, the culture of reading and mental health support contributes to a safe and nurturing environment for learning. However, the school faces challenges in ensuring all pupils are fully prepared to learn independently, as not all assessments are effectively informing instruction. There is a need for instructors to strengthen strategies that help pupils retain knowledge and apply their learning independently. This inspection follows the first routine evaluation since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the school has recently seen new leadership, which may be impacting its evolving practices.

Strengths

• Pupils display pride in their school and actively participate in their education.
• The school has a well-structured and ambitious curriculum that aids knowledge retention.
• Personal development opportunities are extensive, allowing pupils to develop leadership skills.
• There is a strong culture of reading with a variety of texts available and enthusiastic reader engagement.
• Mental health services are effectively incorporated into the school environment.
• Pupils feel safe and supported by adults, fostering a caring atmosphere.

Areas for Improvement

• Not all checks on pupils' knowledge are used effectively to inform future activities.
• Pupils sometimes move on to independent work without being fully ready, leading to confusion.

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 Bridge and Patrixbourne Church of England Primary School attended 96.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 3.8% 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, 0.2% of pupils at Bridge and Patrixbourne 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 Bridge and Patrixbourne Church of England Primary School had 19.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.2% 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, 12.7% of pupils at Bridge and Patrixbourne Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.2% 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 Bridge and Patrixbourne Church of England Primary School received £6,491 and spent £6,416 for each of its 416 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £71,000 (£171 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 Bridge and Patrixbourne Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Bridge and Patrixbourne Church of England Primary School is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.

When was Bridge and Patrixbourne Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Bridge and Patrixbourne Church of England Primary School was last inspected in November 2023.

How many pupils does Bridge and Patrixbourne Church of England Primary School have?

Bridge and Patrixbourne Church of England Primary School has 416 pupils on roll.

What age range does Bridge and Patrixbourne Church of England Primary School cover?

Bridge and Patrixbourne Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 74% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Bridge and Patrixbourne Church of England Primary School?

Bridge and Patrixbourne Church of England Primary School is at Conyngham Lane, Bridge, Canterbury, Kent, CT4 5JX.