Map shows last Kent primary schools rated 'Outstanding' as Ofsted ditches single word rating system

Richard Ault & Sam Honey
·6-min read
Ofsted will continue to grade schools, but use a new system that inspects individual aspects of a school’s performance
-Credit: (Image: PA)


Four Kent primary schools rated “Outstanding” following inspections in the last school year are among the final ones ever to achieve that distinction. During its latest round of inspections, carried out between September 1, 2023, and July 31 this year, Ofsted inspected 2,760 primary schools.

Of those, 426 schools - about one in seven, or 15% - were told they had achieved the highest possible rating of “Outstanding”. That includes four Kent schools: Hartley Primary Academy, Kings Hill School Primary and Nursery, Cobham Primary School, and Sheldwich Primary School.

No more schools will ever be rated Outstanding following an overhaul of the grading system by Ofsted. It means the practice of issuing an overall one or two-word grade - either Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, or Inadequate - has been scrapped with immediate effect.

Read more: Diversion details for M2 weekend closure as further roadworks loom

Read more: Kent hit with 21-hour rain warning as more thunderstorms forecast

Ofsted will continue to inspect schools, but will now only issue gradings related to individual aspects of a school’s performance. The next time a school is inspected, it is guaranteed to lose its Outstanding rating as the changes come into effect.

Including primary schools last inspected before the last school year - many of which will be anticipating an imminent return of Ofsted inspectors - there were 59 Oustanding primary schools in Kent, and six in Medway. That means about one in eight primary schools in Kent (13%) and about one in 12 in Medway (8%) were rated Outstanding before the changes.

You can see the primary schools near you that were rated Outstanding at their last inspection using our interactive map.

The changes were made after Ofsted research found that fewer than four in 10 parents, and three in 10 teachers support one-word judgements. For future inspections this academic year, parents will see grades across the existing sub-categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.

Ofsted will continue to inspect schools against the same standards, but will now only issue gradings related to individual aspects of a school's performance. Then from September 2025, “School Report Cards” will be introduced.

The exact content of the report cards is not yet clear, but the Department for Education says they “will provide parents with a complete picture of how schools are performing”. The changes come after several years of debate within education about whether one overall grade can sum up the complexity of a school.

That debate intensified after an inquest in 2023 found an inspection contributed to the death of head teacher Ruth Perry, who took her own life after learning her school was set to be graded Inadequate. Ofsted Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver, said: “The tragic death of Ruth Perry was a catalyst for this change, but the case for change has been building for years.

“We recognise the growing challenges facing education and social care, particularly since the pandemic. We don’t want to add to this pressure. Many of the changes we are introducing are aimed at reducing the pressure on those we inspect.

“We will always strive for higher standards for children, particularly the most vulnerable children. We share that aim with thousands of brilliant people working in education and social care. We are determined to win back their trust and work together in the interests of children and learners.”

Kent primary schools rated 'Outstanding'

Inspections during the last school year:

  • Hartley Primary Academy, Kent - 10/10/2023

  • Kings Hill School Primary and Nursery, Kent - 20/2/2024

  • Cobham Primary School, Kent - 30/4/2024

  • Sheldwich Primary School, Kent - 21/5/2024

Inspections before September, 2023:

  • Rodmersham School, Kent - 21/9/2011

  • St Nicholas CEVC Primary School, Medway - 22/1/2013

  • St Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School, Medway - 07/2/2013

  • Our Lady of Hartley Catholic Primary School, Hartley, Longfield, Kent - 21/11/2013

  • River Primary School, Kent - 28/11/2013

  • St Michael's Church of England Infant School Maidstone, Kent - 28/1/2014

  • Speldhurst Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Kent - 06/2/2014

  • St Thomas' Catholic Primary School, Sevenoaks, Kent - 11/2/2014

  • Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School, Kent - 19/3/2014

  • St Peter's Church of England Primary School, Kent - 19/3/2014

  • Fleetdown Primary Academy, Kent - 25/9/2014

  • Ethelbert Road Primary School, Kent - 30/9/2014

  • Upton Junior School, Kent - 20/11/2014

  • Warden House Primary School, Kent - 02/12/2014

  • Sturry Church of England Primary School, Kent - 27/1/2015

  • Lady Joanna Thornhill Endowed Primary School, Kent - 04/2/2015

  • Wickhambreaux Church of England Primary School, Kent - 25/2/2015

  • Cliffe Woods Primary School, Medway - 17/3/2015

  • The Pilgrim School (A Church of England Primary With Nursery), Medway - 17/3/2015

  • Chiddingstone Church of England School, Kent - 26/3/2015

  • Folkestone, St Martin's Church of England Primary School, Kent - 23/4/2015

  • Offham Primary School, Kent - 19/5/2015

  • Bligh Primary School (Infants), Medway - 01/7/2015

  • St Margaret's-at-Cliffe Primary School, Kent - 02/7/2015

  • Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary School, Kent - 15/7/2015

  • St Mildred's Primary Infant School, Kent - 27/1/2016

  • Blean Primary School, Kent - 01/3/2016

  • Herne Church of England Junior School, Kent - 22/3/2016

  • Sandwich Junior School, Kent - 21/6/2016

  • Whitstable and Seasalter Endowed Church of England Junior School, Kent - 24/1/2017

  • Green Park Community Primary School, Kent - 31/1/2017

  • The Brent Primary School, Kent - 07/3/2017

  • Newington Community Primary School, Kent - 14/3/2017

  • Jubilee Primary School, Kent - 04/7/2017

  • Adisham Church of England Primary School, Kent - 04/7/2017

  • Hernhill Church of England Primary School, Kent - 31/10/2017

  • Reculver Church of England Primary School, Kent - 03/7/2018

  • St Mary of Charity CofE (Aided) Primary School, Kent - 10/7/2018

  • Chilton Primary School, Kent - 09/1/2019

  • St Eanswythe's Church of England Primary School, Kent - 12/3/2019

  • Shatterlocks Infant and Nursery School, Kent - 15/5/2019

  • Hawkinge Primary School, Kent - 11/6/2019

  • Ightham Primary School, Kent - 03/3/2020

  • Oaks Primary Academy, Kent - 21/9/2021

  • Herne Church of England Infant and Nursery School, Kent - 28/9/2021

  • Ramsgate, Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, Kent - 28/9/2021

  • Cherry Orchard Primary Academy, Kent - 09/11/2021

  • Lady Boswell's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Sevenoaks, Kent - 24/5/2022

  • Allington Primary School, Kent - 12/7/2022

  • Eythorne Elvington Community Primary School, Kent - 13/12/2022

  • St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Northfleet, Kent - 10/1/2023

  • Bearsted Primary Academy, Kent - 24/1/2023

  • The Discovery School, Kent - 21/2/2023

  • St Peter-in-Thanet CofE Junior School, Kent - 10/5/2023

  • Valley Invicta Primary School At Aylesford, Kent - 10/5/2023

  • Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School, Kent - 23/5/2023

  • Kingsdown and Ringwould Church of England Primary School, Kent - 24/5/2023

  • Great Chart Primary School, Kent - 06/6/2023

  • High Halstow Primary Academy, Medway - 20/6/2023

  • Queenborough School and Nursery, Kent - 03/7/2023

  • Challock Primary School, Kent - 11/7/2023

Get more news from KentLive straight to your inbox for free HERE.

Latest stories