South Avenue Primary School

South Avenue Primary School is performing well, achieving a 'Good' overall effectiveness rating in its recent Ofsted inspection. The school creates a positive learning environment where pupils feel happy and are eager to learn. Leaders set high expectations, and teachers are skilled at delivering engaging lessons, although there are areas for improvement, particularly regarding support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This was the school's first routine inspection since the pandemic, and some adaptations are still needed in how the curriculum is delivered and assessed across all subjects.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate a strong commitment to learning.
• Teachers create inspiring lessons that engage students.
• Strong support and interventions for early reading.
• Pupils develop a comprehensive understanding of mental health and well-being.
• Effective safeguarding measures are in place.

Areas for Improvement

• Not all subjects routinely assess pupil learning and retention, hindering knowledge transfer.
• Activities for some pupils with SEND lack purpose and challenge.

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 South Avenue Primary School attended 94.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 13.2% 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, 2.7% of pupils at South Avenue 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 South Avenue Primary School had 20.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 20.9% 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, 26.7% of pupils at South Avenue Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.7% 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 2024–25 South Avenue Primary School received £7,076 and spent £6,727 for each of its 413 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £23,000 (£56 per pupil).

Across all 2 schools of Fulston Manor Academies Trust, income was £7,088 and spending £6,996 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). 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.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Sittingbourne · Kent local authority: places and applications

South Avenue Primary School is part of Fulston Manor Academies Trust, which runs 2 schools. The nearest others:

• Fulston Manor School Sittingbourne

What is South Avenue Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for South Avenue Primary School is Good, from an inspection in November 2022.

When was South Avenue Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

South Avenue Primary School was last inspected in November 2022.

How many pupils does South Avenue Primary School have?

South Avenue Primary School has 408 pupils on roll.

What age range does South Avenue Primary School cover?

South Avenue Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are South Avenue Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is South Avenue Primary School?

South Avenue Primary School is at South Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 4SU.