The Discovery School

The Discovery School is performing exceptionally well, maintaining its outstanding status since its last inspection in 2008. Pupils thrive in a supportive and ambitious environment, characterized by a strong emphasis on values such as friendship and respect. The staff's high expectations and effective teaching strategies enable students to excel academically, develop positive attitudes towards learning, and engage actively in various school activities, including extracurricular options. This holistic approach to education fosters not only academic success but also personal growth and social responsibility among students.

Strengths

• Consistently high academic achievements across all curriculum areas.
• Effective support for students with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Strong focus on personal development and extra-curricular engagement.
• Exceptional early years provision that nurtures a love for learning.
• Highly positive attitudes toward learning among pupils.

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 The Discovery School attended 94.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 13.0% 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 The Discovery 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 The Discovery School had 24.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.1% 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, 9.8% of pupils at The Discovery School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.4% 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 The Discovery School received £6,390 and spent £6,377 for each of its 634 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £85,000 (£134 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 West Malling · Kent local authority: places and applications

What is The Discovery School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Discovery School is Outstanding, from an inspection in April 2023.

When was The Discovery School last inspected by Ofsted?

The Discovery School was last inspected in April 2023.

How many pupils does The Discovery School have?

The Discovery School has 634 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Discovery School cover?

The Discovery School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are The Discovery School's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is The Discovery School?

The Discovery School is at Discovery Drive, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4GJ.