St Stephen's Junior School
St Stephen's Junior School is an academy converter in Canterbury for pupils aged 7 to 11. It has 400 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for St Stephen's Junior School is Good, from an inspection in April 2023. In 2025, 44% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Suspensions are common here, with 4.9 in every 100 pupils suspended at least once in 2024/25 (nationally, 1.1).
Ofsted inspection: April 2023. KS2 results: 2025.
| Type | Primary / Academy converter |
| Age Range | 7-11 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Hales Drive St Stephens Canterbury Kent CT2 7AD |
| Phone | 01227464119 |
| Reference Number | 136393 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 400 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 51.25%
Girls: 48.75% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 34.3% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 33.7% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 26.5 |
| Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher | 26.5 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 51 | 33 | 84 |
| 4 | 55 | 50 | 105 |
| 5 | 49 | 61 | 110 |
| 6 | 50 | 51 | 101 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 50.5% |
| White, Other | 11.3% |
| Mixed, Other | 7.5% |
| African | 3% |
| White & Asian | 2.8% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 2% |
| Indian | 2% |
| Unclassified | 1.8% |
| Pakistani | 1.8% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.5% |
| Chinese | 1.3% |
| Asian, Other | 1.3% |
| Caribbean | 0.3% |
St Stephen's Junior School continues to perform well, maintaining its status as a good school since its last inspection in 2017. The leadership team is effective, promoting a positive school culture where inclusivity and well-being are prioritized. The co-headteachers have successfully identified strengths and areas for development, enhancing the school's leadership capacity. The curriculum is ambitious and tailored to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school environment is supportive, ensuring that pupils feel safe and valued, contributing to their overall happiness and engagement in learning.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| Last Report Date | 28 Feb 2023 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 28 Feb 2023 | School inspection |
| 14 Nov 2017 | Short inspection |
| 16 May 2013 | Full inspection: |
| 14 Feb 2012 | Academy conversion letter |
| 22 Oct 2008 | Full inspection: |
| Previously as St Stephen's Junior School | |
| 04 Oct 2005 | Full inspection: |
| 09 Jan 2001 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Strong relationships between adults and pupils.
- Effective leadership that fosters a positive school culture.
- Inclusive practices that support pupils with SEND.
- Ambitious and well-structured curriculum.
- Prominent love of reading encouraged among pupils.
- Most pupils behave well and have positive attitudes towards learning.
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils are not catching up in their reading quickly enough.
- Inconsistency in the precision of curriculum implementation across some subjects.
- Concerns among a few pupils regarding the behaviour of some peers.
How many students meet the standards
| Reading, Writing & Maths | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 44% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Pupils meeting a higher standard | 7% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
Average Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
| Subject | School | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 103 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Maths | 102 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
Progress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | -2.8 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Writing | -1.9 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Maths | -4.4 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
How many students meet the standards
Sample
UnlockAverage Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
Sample
UnlockProgress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
Sample
UnlockUnlock Premium
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Unlock for £9.99Places and pupil numbers
In 2024–25 St Stephen's Junior School had 402 pupils for 400 places. That is 2 more pupils than the school has room for.
Pupils and places
Reception intake in the “Primary - Canterbury City” planning area
Kent counted 450 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 448 in 2029–30, down 0%.
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Places | 360 | 360 | 384 | 384 | 384 | 384 | 384 | 384 | 384 | 384 | 384 | 400 | 400 | 400 |
| Pupils | 358 | 386 | 376 | 387 | 393 | 403 | 407 | 409 | 417 | 421 | 422 | 398 | 406 | 402 |
| Unfilled | 0.6% | 0.0% | 2.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
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 St Stephen's Junior School attended 93.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 15.8% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 2.6% | 2.5% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.9% | 4.5% | 5.4% | 5.2% | 4.5% |
| Unauthorised absence | 0.6% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.2% | 2.0% | 1.9% | 1.8% | 1.6% |
| Severely absent pupils | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1.2% | 0.5% | 1.7% | 2.8% | 1.7% |
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, 4.9% of pupils at St Stephen's Junior School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.1 | 7.2 | 3.8 | 10.3 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
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 St Stephen's Junior School had 19.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.5% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 7.6 | 9.5 | 8.8 | 8.4 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.3 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 10.2 | 11.1 | 12.0 | 12.7 | 11.7 | 12.5 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 4.8% | 0.0% | 8.9% | 27.5% | 12.9% | 7.1% | 14.0% | 2.8% | 13.4% | 5.1% | 10.2% | 5.0% | 5.2% | 8.5% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 55.6% | 59.1% | 37.0% | 55.6% | 64.0% | 60.0% | 47.6% | 40.0% | – | 29.4% | 77.3% | 73.9% | 65.2% | 76.9% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 2.2 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 5.2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.8 | 1.7 | – | 0.9 | 5.6 | 5.0 | 2.3 | 5.1 | – |
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, 16.8% of pupils at St Stephen's Junior 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
| SEN support | EHC plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Social, emotional and mental health | 32 | 4 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 8 | 3 |
| Speech, language and communication needs | 9 | 2 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 7 | 1 |
| Other difficulty or disability | 6 | 1 |
| Physical disability | 1 | 1 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 2 | 0 |
| No specialist assessment of need | 1 | 0 |
| Vision impairment | 1 | 0 |
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 2024–25 St Stephen's Junior School received £7,101 and spent £6,948 for each of its 407 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £93,000 (£229 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | -£6,000 | -£64,000 | £2,000 | £62,000 | £72,000 | £77,000 | £93,000 |
| per pupil | -£14 | -£149 | £5 | £149 | £178 | £194 | £229 |
| In-year balance | £14,000 | -£45,000 | £66,000 | £60,000 | £51,000 | £48,000 | £62,000 |
| per pupil | £33 | -£105 | £156 | £145 | £126 | £121 | £152 |
Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.
| Name | Distance |
|
St Stephen's Infant School
Hales Drive, St Stephen's, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7AB |
0.05 miles |
|
St Johns Church of England Primary School
St John's Place, Northgate, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 1BD |
0.61 miles |
|
St Thomas' Catholic Primary School, Canterbury
99 Military Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 1NE |
0.81 miles |
|
St Peter's Methodist Primary School
St Peter's Grove, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2DH |
0.87 miles |
|
Parkside Community Foundation Primary School
Tennyson Avenue, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 1EP |
1.16 miles |
|
Blean Primary School
Whitstable Road, Blean, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 9ED |
1.29 miles |
|
The Canterbury Primary School
City View, Franklyn Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 8PT |
1.34 miles |
|
Wincheap Foundation Primary School
Hollow Lane, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 3SD |
1.61 miles |
|
Pilgrims' Way Primary School
Pilgrims Way, Canterbury, CT1 1XU |
1.65 miles |
|
Kent College Nursery, Infant and Junior School
Harbledown, Canterbury, CT2 9AQ |
1.68 miles |
|
Sturry Church of England Primary School
Park View, Sturry, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 0NR |
2.25 miles |
|
Bridge and Patrixbourne Church of England Primary School
Conyngham Lane, Bridge, Canterbury, Kent, CT4 5JX |
3.63 miles |
|
Water Meadows Primary School
Shaftesbury Road, Hersden, Canterbury, Kent, CT3 4HS |
3.78 miles |
|
Littlebourne Church of England Primary School
Church Road, Littlebourne, Canterbury, Kent, CT3 1XS |
3.91 miles |
|
Chartham Primary School
Shalmsford Street, Chartham, Canterbury, Kent, CT4 7QN |
4.16 miles |
|
The Far Academy CIC
Unit 77 John Wilson Business Park, Whitstable, CT5 3QT |
4.52 miles |
|
Wickhambreaux Church of England Primary School
The Street, Wickhambreaux, Canterbury, Kent, CT3 1RN |
4.56 miles |
|
Thornden Wood Primary School
Greenhill Road, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6 7RS |
4.63 miles |
|
Herne Church of England Junior School
School Lane, Herne, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6 7AL |
4.7 miles |
|
Hoath Primary School
School Lane, Hoath, Canterbury, Kent, CT3 4LA |
4.71 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
The Archbishop's School
St Stephens Hill, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7AP |
0.28 miles |
|
The King's School Canterbury
25 The Precincts, Canterbury, CT1 2ES |
0.81 miles |
|
St Edmund's School Canterbury
St Thomas Hill, Canterbury, CT2 8HU |
0.88 miles |
|
Haven Nook
73-75 Castle Street, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2QD |
1.04 miles |
|
Kent College (Canterbury)
Whitstable Road, Canterbury, CT2 9DT |
1.06 miles |
|
Kent College International Study Centre
Whitstable Road, Canterbury, CT2 9DT |
1.06 miles |
|
Barton Court Grammar School
Longport, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 1PH |
1.18 miles |
|
The Canterbury Academy
Knight Avenue, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 8QA |
1.2 miles |
|
Newingate School
48 New Dover Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 3DT |
1.49 miles |
|
St Nicholas' School
Holm Oak Close, Nunnery Fields, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 3JJ |
1.53 miles |
|
Barton Manor School
Spring Lane, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 1SU |
1.54 miles |
|
The Orchard School
Cambridge Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 3QQ |
1.55 miles |
|
The Worthgate School
68 New Dover Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 3LQ |
1.67 miles |
|
Junior King's School
Milner Court, Canterbury, CT2 0AY |
1.8 miles |
|
Simon Langton Girls' Grammar School
Old Dover Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 3EW |
2.04 miles |
|
Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys
Langton Lane, Nackington Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT4 7AS |
2.18 miles |
|
St Anselm's Catholic School, Canterbury
Old Dover Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 3EN |
2.23 miles |
|
Hawthorn
Chalkhill Farm, New House Lane, Chartham, Kent, CT4 7BF |
2.55 miles |
|
Orion Spires
Bredlands Lane, Sturry, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 0HD |
3.28 miles |
|
The Whitstable School
Bellevue Road, Whitstable, Kent, CT5 1PX |
4.45 miles |
All schools in Canterbury · Kent local authority: places and applications
What is St Stephen's Junior School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for St Stephen's Junior School is Good, from an inspection in April 2023.
When was St Stephen's Junior School last inspected by Ofsted?
St Stephen's Junior School was last inspected in April 2023.
How many pupils does St Stephen's Junior School have?
St Stephen's Junior School has 400 pupils on roll.
What age range does St Stephen's Junior School cover?
St Stephen's Junior School for pupils aged 7 to 11.
What are St Stephen's Junior School's SATs (KS2) results?
In 2025, 44% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
Where is St Stephen's Junior School?
St Stephen's Junior School is at Hales Drive, St Stephens, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7AD.