Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary School

About Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary School

Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary School sits within the Kent local authority, where it ranks 9th out of 44 primary schools in the Maidstone district, placing it comfortably in the top quarter nationally. Among its top-performing peers in the wider county are Stelling Minnis Church of England Primary School, Leigh Academy Dartford, and Temple Ewell Church of England Primary School. The school is oversubscribed, receiving 175 applications for 60 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, with 56 of those going to first-preference families. It operates as a Church of England state primary for mixed-gender pupils aged 4 to 11, with a current roll of 436 children against a capacity of 420. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 7.3 per cent, below the national average, and the school does not offer nursery provision.

In its most recent Ofsted inspection, conducted in March 2025, the school received Outstanding grades across every assessed category, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. Early years provision was also rated Outstanding. This continues a strong track record: the previous inspection in 2015 also awarded an Outstanding overall effectiveness rating. Academic outcomes at Key Stage 2 are well above local averages. Seventy-eight per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Kent local authority average of 63 per cent. In reading, 85 per cent met the expected standard and 34 per cent achieved the higher standard; in maths, the figures were 83 per cent and 25 per cent respectively. Average scaled scores were 108 in reading and 107 in maths.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a library, ICT suite, gymnasium, sensory room, forest school area, chapel, and playing fields. Sports provision covers athletics, rounders, dance, tennis and gymnastics, while clubs include art, drama, choir, chess and eco club. The school supports children with a wide array of special educational needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, visual impairment, physical disability, and social, emotional and mental health needs. Parent View responses, collected between September 2024 and September 2025, show strong satisfaction: 96 per cent of the 106 respondents agreed their child is happy at the school, and 93 per cent would recommend it to other parents. This is a school that suits families seeking a high-performing, oversubscribed primary with a clear Church of England character and strong pastoral support.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents