Frittenden Church of England Primary School

Frittenden Church of England Primary School is a small, friendly school where pupils feel safe, happy and well cared for. Relationships are warm, the school’s values are woven through daily life, and pupils behave well. Since the previous inspection, leaders have raised expectations and strengthened the curriculum, particularly in English and mathematics, and pupils are now achieving well across most of the curriculum. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. The school has a broad and balanced curriculum from Reception to Year 6, and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified quickly and supported to access learning. Early reading is a notable strength: children start phonics in Reception, struggling readers are helped promptly, and most pupils become fluent readers by the end of Year 2. Pupils also benefit from a strong personal development programme, leadership opportunities and community visits. Two areas still need attention. Teaching does not always deepen pupils’ knowledge or extend their thinking, so some pupils do not learn as much as they could. Attendance is improving but remains a concern for some pupils, who miss important learning and wider experiences as a result. The inspection was a graded section 5 inspection, and the school was not given an overall effectiveness grade under the current framework.

Strengths

• Pupils feel safe, happy and well cared for in a warm, welcoming school community
• The school’s values of compassion, respect and joy are evident in pupils’ everyday experiences
• Expectations are high and the curriculum has been strengthened, especially in English and mathematics
• A broad and balanced curriculum is in place from Reception to Year 6
• Key knowledge is carefully identified and teachers routinely check pupils’ learning
• Pupils with SEND are identified quickly and given support to access the curriculum
• Early reading is taught effectively, with phonics starting in Reception and swift help for pupils who fall behind
• Most pupils become fluent readers by the end of Year 2 and develop a love of books
• A new behaviour policy is implemented consistently and fairly
• Pupils behave well, concentrate in lessons and get along together at social times
• Pupils value leadership roles and community visits, including visits to local care homes
• The personal, social and health education programme helps pupils learn how to stay safe and healthy
• Staff value the support, development opportunities and consideration of their well-being and workload
• Governors are well trained, well informed and share leaders’ determination to secure the best for every child
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

Areas for Improvement

• Teaching does not always help pupils deepen their knowledge or extend their thinking
• Some pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should, missing important learning and wider experiences

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 Frittenden Church of England Primary School attended 93.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 20.7% 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, 1.0% of pupils at Frittenden 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 Frittenden Church of England Primary School had 19.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.4% 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, 11.0% of pupils at Frittenden Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.0% 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 Frittenden Church of England Primary School received £8,172 and spent £8,187 for each of its 100 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £48,000 (£484 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 Cranbrook · Kent local authority: places and applications

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

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

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

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

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

Frittenden Church of England Primary School has 100 pupils on roll.

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

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

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

In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Frittenden Church of England Primary School?

Frittenden Church of England Primary School is at Frittenden Primary School, Frittenden, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 2DD.