School Chooser

Mundella Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedAcademy184 pupilsNursery Free breakfast clubFolkestoneKent
School Chooser Score
10
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 5 to 21
Out of 100. Better than 16% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, May 2024
Reached the expected level at 1156%England 63%
Attendance91.5%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families60%Far more than most schools
Places26 spare184 pupils, 210 places
Pupils per teacher22.2School workforce census

Mundella Primary School is a converter academy in Folkestone for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 184 pupils and room for 210. About 60 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 10 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 16% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2024.

Black Bull Road, Folkestone, CT19 5QX01303 252265mundella.kent.sch.ukMrs Lisa Paez and Lauren Wharmby . headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 22 May 2024, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

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

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1156%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score101.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score102.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 28%28%20172018: 19%19%20182019: 55%55%20192023: 47%47%20232024: 30%30%20242025: 56%56%2025
Since 2017: +28%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure2025202420232019†2018†2017†KentEngland
Pupils tested273030292129
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths56%30%47%55%19%28%64%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%0%0%0%3%10%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score101.0100.0103.0101.096.098.0105.8105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score102.096.0101.0101.095.097.0104.2104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score101.0100.0101.0101.098.0101.0104.3105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard70%53%73%62%52%52%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard70%37%60%66%19%45%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)59%53%60%86%71%41%
Reading progressReading progress score-1.2-1.7-5.5-2.3
Maths progressMaths progress score-2.6-2.6-7.1-3.8
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged38%26%32%40%18%22%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged82%36%73%71%20%36%

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.

† These results are for Mundella Primary School, the school this one replaced in September 2021. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

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
38%82%
Gap 44 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
29%85%
Gap 56 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
50%56%
Gap 6 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%0%
No gapEngland 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.

Plenty of spare places170 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
81% full

40 places were empty (19% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 8% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

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 roll184Census January 2026
Places21088% full
Pupils from low-income families60%60% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English35%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support20%37 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%4 pupils with a plan
Average class size23.37 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)60%£153,450 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls93 / 91
White British pupils57%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 19.7 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 26.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (12), emotional and mental health (11), Autistic spectrum disorder (9), Moderate learning difficulty (6), Hearing impairment (2), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census20262025202420232022
Pupils on roll184171177173182
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals60%59%55%56%55%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language35%32%32%25%19%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support22%18%19%17%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%3%2%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 91.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance91.5%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school30.3%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.62024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission2.8%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21†2018/19†England
Sessions missedOverall absence8.5%8.7%8.2%7.9%7.5%6.4%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence5.6%5.4%5.3%5.5%4.2%4.3%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.8%3.3%2.9%2.4%3.4%2.2%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence30.3%33.5%26.7%25.0%26.6%22.8%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.60.62.92.2
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions0000

† These attendance figures are for Mundella Primary School, the school this one replaced in September 2021. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Staff and money

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

Teachers8.3full-time equivalent, 11 people
Pupils per teacher22.2Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants11.0full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£54,103
Teachers who left in the year8%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher9.02024/25

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£8,023England £7,128. Total £1.4m
Income per pupil£8,439England £7,587. Total £1.4m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,433England £3,405
Money in reserve3%Not much put by: £45k, £264 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£71kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£8,023spent 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 m64312 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate109 per 1,000 people20% higher than the England average
Typical house price£315,000Folkestone and Hythe
Nearest bus stop100 mBlack Bull Road, 19 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
Castle Hill Community Primary SchoolCouncil470 m395Good 202416Compare
Stella Maris Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy530 m204Good 202341Compare
Christ Church Cep Academy, FolkestoneAcademy700 m411Good 202265Compare
Folkestone PrimaryAcademy950 m460Good 202359Compare
Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England960 m98Not inspected27Compare
St Eanswythe's Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy0.6 miles215Not inspected57Compare
Folkestone St. Mary's Church of England Primary AcademyAcademy0.7 miles406Report card 20258Compare
Martello PrimaryAcademy0.7 miles146Good 202224Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Mundella Primary School with the 49 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 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats16%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 10 is 19 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 2 · middle 29 · highest 96100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 10 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 10% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 5 to 21. 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%below
-0.25
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 27 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 2.3 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.17
DfE progress measure; 27 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
+0.01
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.22
2024/25; 165 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.08
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 27 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 Mundella Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Mundella Primary School scores 10 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 16% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 5 to 21, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Mundella Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Mundella Primary School good at its last full inspection on 22 May 2024.

How good are Mundella Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 56% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Mundella Primary School have?

184 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 88% full.

Is Mundella Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 40 places were empty in 2024/25 (19% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Mundella Primary School?

Pupils were in school 91.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 30% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Mundella Primary School?

The average class had 23.3 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

Does Mundella Primary School have a breakfast club?

Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.

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

Contact and details

Address
Black Bull Road, Folkestone, CT19 5QX
Telephone
01303 252265
Website
www.mundella.kent.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Lisa Paez and Lauren Wharmby .
Free breakfast club
Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
Veritas Multi Academy Trust (3 schools)
Local authority
Kent
Ward
East Folkestone
Constituency
Folkestone and Hythe
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2021 (academy converter)
URN
148711 · LAESTAB 8862296 · UKPRN 10088877
Formerly
Mundella Primary School

Where these figures come from