School Chooser

Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedAcademyChurch of England437 pupilsMaidstoneKent
School Chooser Score
98
Well above
similar schools
Likely range 95 to 99
Out of 100. Better than 94% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, March 2025
Reached the expected level at 1183%England 63%
Attendance96.2%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families6%Far fewer than most schools
PlacesFull437 pupils, 420 places
Pupils per teacher23.3School workforce census

Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary School is a converter academy in Maidstone for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 437 pupils, 17 more than it has places for. About 6 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 98 out of 100. That puts it well above schools like it, ahead of 94% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.

Provender Way, Grove Green, Maidstone, ME14 5TZ01622 735916st-johns-maidstone.kent.sch.ukMr D J Smith headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 4 March 2025, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Outstanding
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Outstanding
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Outstanding
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Outstanding
Early years
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

64 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1183%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level28%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score109.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score107.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 79%79%20172018: 88%88%20182019: 84%84%20192023: 74%74%20232024: 78%78%20242025: 83%83%2025
Since 2017: +4%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017KentEngland
Pupils tested646566643233
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths83%78%74%84%88%79%64%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths28%11%24%23%16%15%10%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score109.0108.0107.0107.0107.0106.0105.8105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score107.0107.0107.0107.0106.0105.0104.2104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score109.0109.0108.0107.0106.0107.0104.3105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard91%85%80%91%97%91%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard89%83%86%95%94%85%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)92%91%91%94%97%94%
Reading progressReading progress score+1.2+0.6-0.5-0.4
Maths progressMaths progress score+1.8+0.9-0.6-0.5
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged63%50%56%86%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged86%81%77%84%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 1 of the 4 gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
63%86%
Gap 23 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
81%84%
Gap 3 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
100%83%
Gap 17 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
13%28%
Gap 15 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Full436 pupils for 420 places, 2024/25
104% full

The school is full, with 16 more pupils than it has places for. More families apply than can get in, so things like how close you live and whether an older brother or sister is already here decide who gets a place. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Kent council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll437Census January 2026
Places420104% full
Pupils from low-income families6%6% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English13%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support12%54 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%13 pupils with a plan
Average class size31.214 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils50%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)6%£37,200 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls200 / 237
White British pupils79%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 30.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 32.1 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (27), language and communications needs (17), Autistic spectrum disorder (11), Specific learning difficulty (7), Other difficulty or disability (2), Vision impairment (2).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll437436438441438440
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals6%7%8%8%8%8%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language13%12%9%9%9%9%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support14%9%7%8%8%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%3%3%3%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.2% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance96.2%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school7.1%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils6.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission0.8%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence3.8%4.3%4.4%4.9%2.8%3.3%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.0%3.4%3.7%3.9%2.1%2.4%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.8%0.9%0.8%1.0%0.7%0.8%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence7.1%9.1%7.3%10.0%2.9%3.9%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate6.06.23.43.00.5
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers18.7full-time equivalent, 24 people
Pupils per teacher23.3Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants19.3full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£48,903
Teachers who left in the year7%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher6.12024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£6,147England £7,128. Total £2.7m
Income per pupil£6,319England £7,587. Total £2.8m
Spent on teachers per pupil£2,982England £3,405
Money in reserve37%A lot put by: £1.0m, £2,310 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£75kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,147spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m9412 months to June 2026, mostly anti-social behaviour
Local crime rate46 per 1,000 people50% lower than the England average
Typical house price£365,000Maidstone
Nearest bus stop80 mSt John's School, 13 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Leigh Academy BearstedFree school0.6 miles412Outstanding 202382Compare
Valley Invicta Primary School At East BoroughAcademy0.8 miles445Report card 202693Compare
Roseacre Junior SchoolFoundation0.8 miles424Good 202479Compare
Thurnham Church of England Infant SchoolChurch of England0.8 miles254Good 202363Compare
Madginford Primary SchoolCouncil1.0 miles588Good 202341Compare
Park Way Primary SchoolCouncil1.2 miles307Good 202426Compare
Greenfields Community Primary SchoolCouncil1.2 miles450Not inspected45Compare
South Borough Primary SchoolAcademy1.3 miles448Good 202390Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary School with the 46 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 46 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats94%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the very top of its group. Its score of 98 is 12 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 35 · middle 85 · highest 100100

No school with a similar mix of pupils within 25 km scores clearly higher.

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 98 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 98% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 95 to 99. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%well above
+0.29
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 64 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%well above
+0.43
Ofsted grade, 1.5 years old
Progress pupils make20%above
+0.18
DfE progress measure; 64 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%above
+0.06
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.09
2024/25; 379 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%above
+0.10
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 64 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary School a good school?

Yes, going by the figures. Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary School scores 98 out of 100. That is well above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 94% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 95 to 99, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary School not judged at its last full inspection on 4 March 2025.

How good are Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 83% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 28% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary School have?

437 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 420 places, so it is 104% full.

Is Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably. The school was full in 2024/25, with 16 more pupils than places. How close you live, and the school's other admissions rules, decide who gets in.

What is attendance like at Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary School?

Pupils were in school 96.2% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 7% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary School?

The average class had 31.2 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 50% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Provender Way, Grove Green, Maidstone, ME14 5TZ
Telephone
01622 735916
Website
www.st-johns-maidstone.kent.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mr D J Smith
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Canterbury
Single-academy trust
St John's Church of England Primary School Maidstone (1 schools)
Local authority
Kent
Ward
Grove Green & Vinters Park
Constituency
Faversham and Mid Kent
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 November 2011 (academy converter)
URN
137615 · LAESTAB 8863372 · UKPRN 10035701
Formerly
Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary School

Where these figures come from