St Augustine of Canterbury CofE Primary School

About St Augustine of Canterbury CofE Primary School

St Augustine of Canterbury CofE Primary School in Bexley is a Church of England primary that currently teaches 195 pupils, just shy of its 210 capacity. The school serves a community with a notably high proportion of children eligible for free school meals, at 31.3 per cent — well above the national average for primary schools. Demand is strong: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 52 applications for just 24 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.17. All 23 first-preference applicants were offered a place, meaning the school is popular but accessible to families who put it top of their list. The school is led by headteacher Mark Alexander-Smale and was rated Good by Ofsted following its most recent graded inspection in 2015, with an ungraded inspection in October 2024 confirming that standards are being maintained.

Academically, St Augustine's performs solidly within Bexley. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 71 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — above the local authority average of 67 per cent. This places the school 22nd out of 55 primaries in Bexley, putting it in the top half of the borough. Individual subject scores are consistent: average scaled scores of 103 in both reading and maths, with 79 per cent reaching the expected standard in maths and 75 per cent in reading. Higher-standard attainment is more modest, with 21 per cent achieving the higher standard in both reading and maths, and just 7 per cent in writing. The school's overall ranking score of 71 places it in the top 50 per cent nationally. Ofsted's breakdown shows Good ratings for leadership, early years provision and overall effectiveness, with the previous 2010 inspection having rated the school as Requires Improvement — a clear upward trajectory.

The school offers a strong range of facilities including a chapel, sensory room, music rooms and a sports hall, plus playing fields for sports like football, netball and cricket. Clubs include art, drama and coding. For children with special educational needs, the school supports social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and other difficulties. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: 96 per cent of the 28 respondents would recommend the school, and 75 per cent strongly agreed that their child is happy. However, the parent view data shows no responses to the SEND support question, so it is unclear how well that provision is perceived. This is a well-regarded, oversubscribed primary that suits families looking for a faith-based school with strong community feel and above-average outcomes, particularly those in the Bexley area who can secure a first-preference place.

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