Dover, St Mary's Church of England Primary School
About Dover, St Mary's Church of England Primary School
Dover, St Mary's Church of England Primary School is a smaller-than-average primary, with 167 pupils on roll against a capacity of 210, meaning there is some room to grow. The school serves a community with a notably high level of disadvantage: 60.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, a figure that far exceeds both the national average and the typical Kent primary. Despite this, the school is clearly in demand. For its 2025/26 intake, it received 30 applications for just 16 places, with 15 of those coming as first preferences, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.88. This suggests that local families see real value in what the school offers, even with the demographic challenges it faces. The school is a Church of England foundation, and its headteacher is Helen Comfort. It is a mixed, state primary for children aged 4 to 11, with no nursery or sixth form provision.
Key Details
The full report on this school
What 12 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
8 Jul 2025From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.
Source: Ofsted, 11 Sept 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
6Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
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