Sunny Bank Primary School

Sunny Bank Primary School is performing well overall, achieving a 'Good' rating in all areas of inspection. The school, which has not been previously inspected, demonstrates a strong commitment to fostering a positive learning environment where pupils are encouraged to excel. High expectations are supported by effective teaching practices, particularly in reading and mathematics, ensuring that pupils develop essential skills for their future education. The supportive atmosphere within the school is evident, as relationships are warm and pupils express a sense of safety and belonging. While the school exhibits many strengths, there are areas requiring improvement. Attendance issues have been noted, with some pupils not attending regularly, which hinders their learning opportunities. Additionally, in subjects beyond English and mathematics, there is a need for better alignment of learning tasks to ensure pupils are retaining knowledge effectively. The school is actively addressing these concerns while continuing to build on its successes.

Strengths

• High expectations for pupil learning and achievement
• Strong focus on reading, ensuring pupils develop a passion for it
• Effective communication and language development in early years
• Pupils attain well in mathematics and apply knowledge effectively
• Well-structured curriculum enhancing knowledge and skills
• Supportive and safe environment fostering good relationships
• Broad and balanced curriculum with diverse learning opportunities

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent checking of knowledge retention in subjects other than English and mathematics
• Some pupils do not attend school regularly, missing valuable learning

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 Sunny Bank Primary School attended 93.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 21.6% 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, 4.8% of pupils at Sunny Bank 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 Sunny Bank Primary School had 22.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 26.3% 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, 38.1% of pupils at Sunny Bank Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.1% 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 Sunny Bank Primary School received £8,023 and spent £8,180 for each of its 220 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £354,000 (£1,607 per pupil).

Across all 3 schools of The Island Learning Trust, income was £6,862 and spending £6,574 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

Sunny Bank Primary School is part of The Island Learning Trust, which runs 3 schools. The nearest others:

• Halfway Houses Primary School Sheerness
• Minster in Sheppey Primary School Sheerness

What is Sunny Bank Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Sunny Bank Primary School is Good, from an inspection in September 2024.

When was Sunny Bank Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Sunny Bank Primary School was last inspected in September 2024.

How many pupils does Sunny Bank Primary School have?

Sunny Bank Primary School has 236 pupils on roll.

What age range does Sunny Bank Primary School cover?

Sunny Bank Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Sunny Bank Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 71% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Sunny Bank Primary School?

Sunny Bank Primary School is at Sunny Bank, Murston, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 3QN.