Adisham Church of England Primary School

About Adisham Church of England Primary School

Adisham Church of England Primary School is a small state primary in Canterbury, Kent, with 102 pupils against a capacity of 105, meaning it runs very close to full. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 24.5%, which is notably higher than the national average for primary schools, suggesting the school serves a community with above-average levels of economic disadvantage. Despite its size, demand is strong: for the 2025/26 reception intake, the school received 54 applications for just 15 places, an oversubscription ratio of 3.6 to one. Only 8 of those 54 offers went to first-preference families, indicating that while many local parents want a place, competition is fierce and many miss out. The school is Church of England, which may influence admissions criteria, and it draws from a mixed catchment in the Adisham area.

Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 judged it Outstanding overall, with leadership and management, early years provision, and overall effectiveness all rated Outstanding. This is an upgrade from its previous Good rating in 2013. At Key Stage 2 in 2023/24, 62% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, just below the Kent local authority average of 63%. However, the school’s average scores in reading (107) and maths (106) are both above the national average of 105, and 15% of pupils achieved the higher standard across all three subjects. In the Canterbury local authority ranking, the school sits 13th out of 30 primaries on this combined measure, placing it in the middle of the pack locally but within the bottom half nationally.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a library, playing fields, sports hall, ICT suite and a chapel, and runs clubs such as Eco Club, Book Club, Drama, Choir and Art Club. Sports provision covers gymnastics, football, dance, cricket, swimming, cross country and netball. SEND support is well-documented, with provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language difficulties, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that suits families who value a small, church-affiliated primary with strong pastoral care and a clear SEND offer, but who are prepared for the reality of high competition for places. It is not a top-performing school on raw academic measures, but its Outstanding Ofsted rating and above-average reading and maths scores suggest solid teaching in a supportive environment.

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