Updated May 2019
Entries on this page include the OFSTED Grade for each Primary School updated twice a year, also recording change from previous Inspection result, together with some other relevant information below. It is worth using the search engine on the Home Page to pick up other references to individual schools.
You will find advice on Primary school Admissions and Appeals here.
You can read the full Report on each Primary School at OFSTED. Each school is awarded a main Grade: Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement (previously Satisfactory), and Inadequate (two sub categories - A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better - A school that requires special measures is one where the school is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school). Each Report carries a brief description of the school before justifying its decision in more detail. If a school is in Special Measures or Serious Weaknesses, the results of further monitoring visits are noted.
A majority of the schools that have previously had a 'Good' or 'Outstanding' assessment are given a Short Inspection (known as Section 8). These are indicated by 'Good (S). These will be confirmed in their assessment grade. However for some of these schools, the Inspection Team may consider that there are concerns, or in the case of a Good school, grounds for raising the Grade and this can only be done by a full Section Five Grade. These are recorded for example as 'Outstanding (SC) or 'Good (SR).
You will find an analysis of oversubscription and vacancies for Medway Primary Places for September 2020 Admissions here, 2019 Admissions here, 2018 Admissions here, for 2017 here, and for 2016 here. These each contain considerable additional material on many of the Medway primary schools.
Reports on Inspections between between September 2019 and April 2020 are in the first table, followed by other tables containing older ones. With all schools closed by Coronavirus after Friday 20th March, any inspections not published by that date will be held over until the re-opening. Whether there are any further school inspections this school year, will be up to government, but I consider it unlikely, as even if they do it will be on a very different basis to normal.
(A) Indicates the school is an Academy (2017 onwards)
MEDWAY PRIMARY SCHOOL OFSTED REPORTS
Sep 2019 - Apr 2020
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School | OFSTED Grade | Date | Change |
CHATHAM | |||
All Faiths Children's Academy (A) | Good | Jan 20 | Up one |
Kingfisher (A) | Good | Sep 2019 | Up one |
Phoenix Junior (A) | Requires Improvement | Dec 19 | Down One |
St Michael's RC | Good (S) | Nov 19 | No change |
GILLINGHAM |
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Napier (A) | Good | Dec 19 | Up one |
Saxon Way (A) | Good | Jan 20 | No change |
Woodlands (A) | Good | Dec 19 | No change |
HOO | |||
Stoke (A) | Good | Jan 20 | Up one |
RAINHAM | |||
Riverside (A) | Good | Nov 19 | No change |
St Margaret's Infant | Good (S) | Feb 20 | No change |
Thames View (A) | Good (S) | Jan 20 | No change |
ROCHESTER | |||
Crest Infant | Good | Feb 20 | No change |
Warren Wood | Good | Oct 19 | Up one |
STROOD | |||
No Inspections in this period |
MEDWAY PRIMARY SCHOOL OFSTED REPORTS
Sep 2018 - Jul 2019
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School | OFSTED Grade | Date | Change |
CHATHAM | |||
All Saints CofE | Good (S) | Jul 19 | No change |
Luton Infant | Requires Improvement | Oct 18 | No change |
St Benedict's Catholic | Good (S) | May 19 | No change |
Swingate (A) | Good (S) | Nov 18 | No change |
Walderslade (A) | Good (S) | Nov 18 | No change |
Wayfield (A) | Good | May 19 | Up two |
GILLINGHAM |
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Balfour Junior (A) | Good (S) | Dec 18 | No change |
Brompton-Westbrook (A) | Good (S) | Jan 19 | No change |
Byron (A) | Requires Improvement | Sep 18 | Up one |
Deanwood (A) | Good (S) | Nov 18 | No change |
Fairview | Good (S | Apr 19 | No change |
Hempsted Infant | Good | Sep 18 | Up one |
Lordswood (A) | Good | Jan 19 | Up one |
Twydall (A) |
Effective Action After
Serious Weaknesses
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Mar 19 | |
HOO | |||
Allhallows (A) | Good | Jun 2019 | No change |
Hoo St Werbergh (A) | Good (S) | Sep 18 | No change |
St Helen's CofE | Good (S) | Jun 19 | No change |
RAINHAM | |||
Parkwood Infant | Good (S) | Feb 19 | No change |
ROCHESTER | |||
Balfour Infant | Good (S) | Jun 19 | No change |
Balfour Junior (A) | Good (S) | Jan 19 | No change |
Chattenden (A) | Good (S) | Nov 18 | No change |
St Peter's Infant | Good | Dec 18 | No change |
STROOD | |||
Cedar Children's(A) | Good | Jun 2019 | Up one |
Temple Mill (A) | Good | Oct 18 | Up two |
MEDWAY
PRIMARY SCHOOL OFSTED REPORTS 2017-18
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School | OFSTED Grade | Date | Change |
CHATHAM | |||
All Saints CofE (A) | Good | Jun 18 | No change |
Horsted Junior | Good | Mar 18 | No change |
Luton Junior | Outstanding | Sep 17 | Up one |
Oaklands | Good | Feb 18 | Up one |
St John's CofE Infant (A) | Good | Jun 18 | No change |
St Mary's Island CofE (Aided) | Good | Mar 18 | No change |
GILLINGHAM |
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Burnt Oak | Requires Improvement | Jun 18 | Down One |
Hempstead Junior | Good | Jun 18 | No change |
Napier Community (A) | Requires Improvement | Oct 17 |
No change |
St Mary's Catholic | Good | Oct 17 | No change |
Twydall (A) | Serious Weaknesses | Jul 18 | No change |
HOO | |||
High Halstow (A) | Good | Jan 18 | No change |
St James CofE Primary (A) | Good | Jan 18 | No change |
Stoke Community (A) | Requires Improvement | Sep 17 | No change |
RAINHAM | |||
St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic (A) | Good | Jun 18 | No change |
St Margaret's CofE Junior (A) | Good | Jul 18 | No change |
St Thomas of Canterbury RC | Good | Jan 18 | No change |
ROCHESTER | |||
St William of Perth (A) | Good | May 18 | No change |
STROOD | |||
All Faith's Children's Community (A) | Requires Improvement | Nov 17 | Down One |
English Martys Catholic | Good | Feb 18 | No change |
MEDWAY
PRIMARY SCHOOL OFSTED REPORTS 2016-17
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School | OFSTED Grade | Date | Change |
CHATHAM | |||
Kingfisher Community | Requires Improvement | Jul 17 | No change |
Requires Improvement
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Oct 16
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No change | |
New Horizons Children's Academy | Good | May 17 | First inspection |
New Road Primary | Good | Jun 17 | Up one |
GILLINGHAM |
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Inadequate |
Mar 17
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Down one
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HOO | |||
Outstanding
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Sept 16
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No change
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RAINHAM | |||
Park Wood Junior | Good |
Mar 17
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No change
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ROCHESTER | |||
Delce Junior | Requires Improvement | Mar 2017 | Down one |
Good
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Feb 17
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Up two
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Good | Feb 17 | No change | |
Cuxton Community Infant | Good | Feb 17 | No change |
Cuxton Community Junior | Good | Jul 17 | Up two |
Warren Wood Primary Academy | Requires Improvement | Jun 17 | Up one |
Wainscott Primary | Good | Jun 17 | Up one |
STROOD | |||
No schools inspected |
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MEDWAY PRIMARY OFSTED 2015-16 | |||
School | OFSTED Grade | Date | Change |
CHATHAM | |||
Balfour Infants | Good | Nov 15 | No Change |
Balfour Juniors | Good | Oct 15 | No Change |
Horsted Infant | Outstanding | Jun 16 | Up one |
Luton Infant | Requires Improvement | May 16 | No change |
Oaklands | Requires Improvement | Jan 16 | No change |
Phoenix Junior Academy | Good | May 16 | No change |
St Michael's RC | Good | Jan 16 | Up one |
Wayfield Primary (A) | Special Measures | May 16 | Down two |
GILLINGHAM |
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Barnsole | Outstanding | Mar 16 | Up two |
Hempstead Infant | Requires Improvement | May 16 | No change |
Hempstead Junior** | Section 8 Emergency Inspection | Jan 16 | |
Oasis Skinner Street (A)* | Effective Action to Remove SM | Dec 15 | |
Effective Action to Remove SM | Mar 16 | ||
Good | Jun 16 | Up two | |
Saxon Way Primary (A) | Good | Jun 16 | Up two |
Woodlands Academy | Good | Jan 16 | No change |
HOO | |||
Hoo St Werburgh | Good | Jan 16 | Up one |
St Helen's CofE, Cliffe | Good | Nov 15 | Up One |
RAINHAM | |||
St Margaret's Infants | Good | Mar 16 | No change |
ROCHESTER | |||
Delce Infant | Good | Jun 16 | Up one |
Hilltop, Frindsbury | Good | Feb 16 | Up one |
STROOD | |||
Elaine Primary Academy | Requires Improvement | Jun 16 | No change |
Temple Mill | Effective Action to Remove SM |
Sep 15 | |
* Oasis Skinner Street, see article here.
Hempstead Junior** See articles here,
MEDWAY PRIMARY OFSTEDS 2014-15 | |||
School | OFSTED Grade | Date | Change |
CHATHAM | |||
Greenvale Infants | Reasonable progress to removal of SW | Nov 14 | |
Requires Improvement | May 15 | Up one | |
Kingfisher (A) | Requires Improvement | Jun 15 | Up one |
New Road | Requires Improvement | Jun 15 | No change |
St John's CofE Infant | Good | Mar 15 | Up one |
St Benedict's RC |
Good | Jul 15 | No change |
Swingate |
Good | Nov 14 | Down one |
GILLINGHAM |
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Brompton-Westbrook (A) | Good | Feb 15 | No change |
Burnt Oak | Good | Mar 15 | Up one |
Byron** |
Reasonable progress to removal of SM | Feb 15 | |
Insufficient Progress to removal of SM | May 15 | ||
Fairview Community | Good | Jun 15 | Up one |
Featherby Junior | Requires Improvement | Jan 15 | No change |
Miers Court | Good | Mar 15 | No change |
Oasis Skinner Street (A)* | Special Measures | May 15 | Down one |
Park Wood Infant | Good | Mar 15 | No change |
Rivermead | Good | Sep 14 | No change |
Thamesview | Good | Jun 15 | Up one |
Twydall** |
School not enough progress to removal of SM.
School improvement plan remains unfit for purpose.
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Oct 14 | |
Reasonable progress to Removal of SM | Jan 15 | ||
Reasonable progress to Removal of SM | Mar 15 | ||
Reasonable Progress to removal of SM | May 15 | ||
Walderslade | Good | May 15 | Up one |
HOO | |||
All Hallows (A) | Good | Jun 15 | Up two |
Cliffe Woods (A) | Outstanding | Mar 15 | |
RAINHAM | |||
ROCHESTER | |||
Bligh Infants | Outstanding | Jul 15 | Up one |
Chattenden | Good | Nov 14 | No change |
Pilgrim | Outstanding | Mar 15 | Up one |
St Peter's Infants | Good | Dec 14 | No change |
Temple Mill**** |
Special Measures | Oct 14 | Down one |
LA Statement of Action fit for purpose
School Action Plan not fit for purpose
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Jan 15 | ||
Insufficient Progress to Remove SM | Apr 15 | ||
STROOD | |||
Cedar | Requires Improvement | Jun 15 | No change |
Wainscott | Good | Mar 15 | Down one |
* Oasis Skinner Street, see article here.
**Byron, see article here.
*** Twydall, most recent article here.
**** Temple Mill, most recent mention here.
MEDWAY PRIMARY OFSTEDS 2013-14 | |||
School | OFSTED Grade | Date | Change |
CHATHAM | |||
Balfour Junior | Requires Improvement | Sep 13 | Down One |
Greenvale Infants | Serious Weaknesses | Jan 14 | Down two |
Good progress since SW | July 14 | ||
Horsted Junior | Good | Apr 14 | Up one |
Luton Infant | Requires Improvement | Mar 14 | Down one |
Oaklands | Requires Improvement | Oct 13 | No Change |
St Mary's Island CofE (Aided) | Reasonable progress following SM | Nov 13 | |
Good | Mar 14 | Up two | |
St Michael's RC | Requires Improvement | Oct 13 | No change |
Walderslade | Insufficient Progress following RI | Sep 13 | |
GILLINGHAM | |||
Barnsole | Requires Improvement | Dec 13 | Down one |
Byron | Special Measures | Jan 14 | Down two |
local authority statement of action is fit for purpose. |
May 14 | ||
Featherby Infant | Good | Feb 14 | No change |
Hempstead Junior | Good | Oct 13 | No change |
Hempstead Infant | Requires Improvement | Feb 14 | Down one |
Napier Community |
failure to make required improvements
from previous OFSTED (see below)
|
Oct 13 | |
repeated failure to make required improvements | Jan 14 | ||
Twydall Primary (see below) | Special Measures | Mar 14 | Down two |
LA Statement of Action fit for purpose following SM
School Action Plan not fit for purpose
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Jun 14 | ||
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HOO | |||
High Halstow | Good | Jul 14 | Up one |
Hoo St Werburgh | Requires Improvement | Oct 13 | No change |
St Helen's CofE | Requires Improvement | Oct 13 | No change |
St James' CofE Primary Academy | Good | May 14 | Up two |
RAINHAM | |||
St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic | Good | Nov 13 | No change |
St Margaret's CofE VC | Good | Dec 13 | No change |
ROCHESTER | |||
Cuxton Junior
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Special Measures | Oct 13 | Down one |
Local Authority Statement of Action not fit for purpose
School Improvement Plan not fit for purpose
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Dec 13 | ||
Local Authority Statement of Action not fit for purpose
School Improvement Plan not fit for purpose
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Mar 14 | ||
Reasonable Progress in removing SM | Jul 14 | ||
Hilltop | Requires Improvement | Nov 13 | Down one |
St Margaret's at Troy Town CofE | Good | Sep 13 | Up one |
St William of Perth RC | Good | Mar 14 | Up one |
Warren Wood Community | Special Measures | Dec 13 | Down one |
local authority statement of action fit for purpose. |
Apr 14 |
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STROOD | |||
Elaine Primary Academy | Requires Improvement | May 14 | No change |
English Martyr's Catholic | Good | Nov 13 | No change |
Gordon Infant Good | Good | Dec 13 | No change |
Gordon Junior | Reasonable prog in Removing SW | Nov 13 | |
You will find my views on Medway Council's oversight of its primary schools and their poor performance at OFSTED here.
MEDWAY PRIMARY OFSTEDS 2012-13 | |||
School | OFSTED Grade | Date | Change |
CHATHAM | |||
Kingfisher
(see below)
|
Special Measures | Mar 13 | Down one |
Satisfactory progress from SM | Jun 13 | ||
Luton Junior | Good | Jan 13 | Up one |
Maundene | Good | Sep 12 | No change |
New Road | Satisfactory progress from SM | Sep 12 | |
Good progress from SM | Jan 13 | ||
Requires Improvement | Jun 13 | Up one | |
St John's CofE VC Infant | Requires Improvement | Mar 13 | No change |
St Mary's Island | Special Measures | Nov 12 | Down one |
Satisfactory progress from SM | May 13 | ||
St Thomas More Catholic | Outstanding | Feb 13 | Up one |
Wayfield Community |
Good | Jan 13 | Up one |
Walderslade | Requires Improvement | Jun 13 | No change |
GILLINGHAM |
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Barnsole
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Monitoring Insp: Not enough progress
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Feb 13
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Brompton-Westbrook
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Good
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Nov 12
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Up one
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Burnt Oak | Requires Improvement | Feb 13 | No change |
Deanwood | Good | Sep 12 | Up one |
Fairview Community | Requires Improvement | Jun 13 | Down one |
Featherby Junior | Requires Improvement | Mar 13 | No change |
Napier Community | Requires Improvement | Jun 13 | No change |
Riverside | Good | Nov 12 | Up one |
Saxon Way
(see below)
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Satisfactory progress from SM
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Dec 12
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Satisfactory progress from SM | Mar 13 | ||
Not enough progress from SM | Jun 13 | ||
Skinner Street | Requires Improvement | Feb 13 | No change |
St Mary's Catholic | Good | Jan 13 | No change |
St Thomas of Canterbury | Good | Mar 13 | No change |
Twydall | Good | Oct 12 | 1st inspection Academy |
HOO | |||
All Hallows
(see below)
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Special Measures | Mar 13 | Down one |
Satisfactory progress from SM | Jun 13 | ||
High Halstow | Requires Improvement | Oct 12 | 1st Inspection Academy |
Stoke Community | Requires Improvement | Jun 13 | No change |
RAINHAM | |||
Park Wood Junior | Good | Jan 13 | Good |
Thames View | Requires Improvement | Jun 13 | No change |
Walderslade | Requires Improvement | Jun 13 | No change |
ROCHESTER | |||
Bligh Junior | Good | Feb 13 | Up one |
Halling | Satisf progr from NtoI | Oct 12 | |
Requires Improvement | May 13 | Up one | |
St William of Perth RC | Requires Improvement | Nov 12 | No change |
STROOD | |||
All Faith's Children's Community | Good | Jun 13 | No change |
Gordon Junior | Serious Weaknesses | Jan 13 | Down one |
Satisfactory progress from SW | Jun 13 | ||
St Nicholas CofE Infant | Outstanding | Jan 13 | Up one |
Sherwin Knight Infant | Requires Improvement | Dec 12 | No change |
Sherwin Knight Junior | Serious Weaknesses | Nov 12 | Down One |
Reasonable progress to remove SW | May 13 (see note below) | ||
Temple Mill | Requires Improvement | Feb 13 | No change |
Sherwin Knight Junior School is about to close and be absorbed into the Infant School which is extending its age range. Medway Council was criticised in the latest OFSTED Inspection for not monitoring or challenging the school sufficiently through a period of change. For instance, it has not asked leaders how pupils’ learning is going to be protected while the process of improving teaching takes place (quite important I would have thought).
Saxon Way Primary School, Kingfisher Community Primary School and Lordswood School are all to be taken over by the Griffin Schools Trust as sponsored academies in September 2013.
All Hallows Primary is becoming an academy as part of the Williamson Trust in September 2013, joining High Halstow and Elaine Primary Academy.
Twydall Primary School has been the subject of controversy following a proposal for it to become a Sponsored Academy (July 14)
School | OFSTED Grade | Date | |
All Hallows Primary, Hoo | Satisfactory | Jun 2011 | |
Balfour Junior | Good | Sep 2010 | |
Barnsole Junior, Gillingham | Notice to Improve | Nov 2011 | Good Progress Jul 2012 |
Brompton-Westbrook Primary | Satisfactory | Dec 2010 | |
Burnt Oak Primary, Gillingham | Inadequate progress | Jun 2011 | Monitoring inspection of Grade 3 schools |
Byron Primary, Gillingham | Good | Mar 2011 | |
Chattenden Primary | Good | Jul 2010 | |
Cuxton Community Infant | Good | Jan 2012 | |
Cuxton Community Junior | Satisfactory | Feb 2011 | |
Deanwood Primary, Gillingham | Satisfactory | Mar 2011 | |
Delce Junior | Good | Jul 2010 | |
Elaine Primary, Rochester | Satisfactory | Jan 2011 | |
Fairview Community Primary | Good | May 2010 | |
Featherby Infant |
Good | Sep 2010 | |
Featherby Junior, Gillingham | Satisfactory | Jan 2011 | |
Glencoe Junior, Chatham | Inadequate progress | Mar 2011 | Not an inspection, but an Interim monitoring of Grade 3 schools |
Gordon Junior | Special Measures | Jun 2009 | Good Progress Jun 2010 |
Gordon Junior | Satisfactory | Nov 2010 | Removed from Special Measures |
Greenvale Infant, Chatham | Good | Jun 2011 | |
Halling Primary | Notices to Improve | Feb 2012 | |
Hempstead Infant, Gillingham | Good | Jun 2011 | |
Horsted Infant, Chatham | Good | Feb 2012 | |
Horsted Junior, Chatham | Satisfactory | Feb 2012 | |
Lordswood School | Satisfactory | May 2012 | |
Luton Infant and Nursery, Chatham | Good | May 2011 | |
Luton Junior | Good | Nov 2010 | |
Miers Court Primary, Gillingham | Good | Nov 2011 | |
Oaklands Infant Chatham | Notice to Improve | Nov 2010 | see below |
Oaklands Infant Chatham | Satisfactory | Dec 11 | |
Oaklands Junior | Satisfactory | Nov 2010 | |
Napier Community Infant & Nursery, Gillingham | Satisfactory | Feb 2011 | |
New Road School & Nursery Unit, Chatham | Special Measures | Oct 2011 | Satisfactory progress, Feb 2012, good progress May 2012 |
Saxon Way Primary, Gillingham | Special Measures | Jun 2012 | |
St Benedict's RC Primary | Good | Jun 2010 | |
St Helen's CofE Primary, Cliffe | Satisfactory | Feb 2012 | |
St James CofE VA Primary, Grain | Special Measures | Dec 2010 | Satisf Progress May 2011, See below |
St James CofE VA Primary, Grain | Satisfactory | Jul 2012 | see above |
St Margaret's CofE Junior, Rainham |
Notice to Improve | Sep 2009 | Inadequate Progress Feb 2009 (see below) |
St Margaret's CofE Junior, Rainham | Good | Nov 2010 | Removed from Special Measures |
St Margaret's Infant School, Rainham | Good | Jun 2011 | |
St Margaret's at Troy Town CofE VC, Rochester | Satisfactory | Jan 2012 | |
St Mary's Island CofE (Aided) Primary | Satisfactory | Jan 2011 | |
St Michael's RC Primary, Chatham | Satisfactory | Nove 2011 | |
St Peter's Infant, Rochester | Good | Mar 2011 | |
St William of Perth RC Primary | Satisfactory | Jul 2010 | |
Sherwin Knight Infant, Strood | Satisfactory | Jun 2010 | |
Sherwin Knight Infant, | Inadequate Progress | Sep 2011 | Monitoring Inspection of Grade 3 schools |
Skinner Street Junior | Special Measures | Jun 2009 | Good progress July 2010 |
Skinner Street Junior, Gillingham | Satisfactory | Jan 2011 | Removed from Special Measures |
Spinnens Acre Community Junior | Notice to Improve | Sep 2009 | Inadequate Progress May 2010 |
Spinnens Acre Community Junior, Chatham | Special Measures | Oct 2010 | Satisfactory Progress Mar 2011. Good progress Dec 2011, see below |
Spinnens Acre Community Junior, Chatham | Satisfactory | Mar 2012 | see above |
Temple Mill Junior | Satisfactory | Nov 2010 | |
Thames View Junior , Rainham | Satisfactory | Feb 2011 | |
Twydall Junior, Gillingham | Good | Mar 2011 | |
Walderslade Primary | Satisfactory | Sep 2010 | |
Wainscott Primary | Good | Mar 2012 | |
Warren Wood Community Primary, Rochester |
Special Measures | Jul 2009 | Inadequate Progress Jul 2010 & Sep 2010, Satisfactory Progress Mar 2011 |
Warren Wood Community Primary, Rochester | Satisfactory | Jun 2011 | |
Wayfield Primary, Chatham | Satisfactory | Sep 2010 | Inadequate progress, Monitoring Inspection, Mar 2012 |
Woodlands Infant | Good | Nov 2010 |
Admission Comments for September 2012 entry (Written March 2012)
The general Medway picture on Infant Class admissions for the last three years is as follows.
2012 | 2011 | 2010 | ||||
No of Medway Pupils | % |
No of Medway pupils |
% | No of pupils | % | |
Offered a named Medway school | 2980 | 97.0 | 2842 | 97.4 | 2873 | 96.0 |
Offered first preference | 2731 | 88.9 | 2678 | 91.8 | 2775 | 92.7 |
Offered second preference | 184 | 6.0 | 127 | 4.3 | 98 | 3.3 |
Offered third preference | 52 | 1.7 | 31 | 1.1 | ||
Offered fourth pref | 13 | 0.4 | 6 | 0.2 | ||
Allocated by Medway | 90 | 3.0 | 75 | 2.5 | 107 |
3.6 |
Total of applications | 3071 | 2917 | 2980 |
The number of Medway children offered a place at a non-Medway school is 73, with 42 non-Medway children offered places in Medway primary schools, all of these were a preference expressed by the parent/carer. Most of these will have been in the Walderslade area, where the county boundary crosses the M2.
The percentage of Medway reception aged children being offered one of their four named schools is 97.0% slightly down from 97.4% last year. These figures will always be higher than those of Kent, who only allow parents to name three schools. However, the number who were not offered their first choice has risen significantly from 7.3% in 2010, to 8.2% in 2011, to 11.1% this year. This year's increase will be down to the 5% rise in pupil numbers for 2012 Year R.
Pupil rolls at Year R in Medway have been falling for many years, bottoming out in 2011, and figures are reported to show increases each year from now on for the next three years (all years that children have been born and can be counted). In 2010, Ridge View Primary School in Chatham was controversially closed and many parents have expressed unhappiness at the lack of provision this year, as revealed by the fall in proportion of first choices offered. As a result of the closure, the number of places has fallen by 60 to 3336, whilst the Medway Reception age group has risen by 154 children, an effective reduction in 217 places.
This still leaves just 3% of Medway children being allocated a school not of their choice, 33 of the 90 concerned being in Chatham, to Luton Infants School, the only school in Chatham left with any vacancies, and where the key pressure can be seen . This suggests that the closure of Ridge View was a mistake, with St John's Infants, which also came close to being closed, being full. No other school in Medway received more than 7 allocations. What is clear from the parental preferences is their quite understandable wish to avoid their children attending the 30% of Medway primary schools that are, or have been, failed by OFSTED.
Most oversubscribed school was Balfour Infants, with 41 first choices turned away, followed by All Saints CofE Primary with 34, then: Fairview Community Primary; The Pilgrim; Miers Court Primary; and Twydall Primary, all with more than 15 first choices rejected.
The Hoo Peninsula primary schools have the highest vacancy rate between them, with 18% of places empty, compared with 3% in Chatham and 9% overall across Medway. Four schools, all with a Satisfactory OFSTED are at least half empty.