St Benedict's Catholic Primary School
100%
Capacity
209
Pupils
2.7x
Demand
About St Benedict's Catholic Primary School
Parents considering St Benedict's Catholic Primary School will find a school that is clearly popular with local families. In the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 70 applications for just 26 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.69, meaning nearly three families applied for every spot. All 26 first-preference applicants were offered a place, which suggests that for those who prioritise it, the school is a realistic choice. The school is a state-funded Roman Catholic primary for mixed-gender pupils aged 4 to 11, with a capacity of 210 and currently 209 pupils on roll. Just 6.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the national average, which may reflect the local demographic. While the school does not publish a parent-view survey, the high demand for places is a strong signal of local satisfaction.
Academically, St Benedict's performs well above the Medway local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 73% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the LA average of 62%. This places the school 11th out of 55 primary schools in Medway, putting it in the top 20% locally, and 413th out of 2,034 in the South East region. Average scaled scores were 108 in maths and 107 in reading, both comfortably above the national benchmark of 100. A higher-than-average proportion of pupils achieved the higher standard in maths (40%) and reading (27%), though writing at the higher level was lower at 7%. The school's most recent graded Ofsted inspection was in 2015, where it was rated Good across all areas, and an ungraded inspection in 2019 confirmed the school remains Good.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including a library, sports hall, gymnasium, playing fields, forest school area, ICT suite, chapel and an outdoor playground. Sports provision covers football, cricket, rounders, netball, athletics, tennis and swimming, while clubs include drama, choir, coding, art, eco and film club. SEND support is available for pupils with specific learning difficulties (including dyslexia), speech, language and communication needs, autistic spectrum disorder, visual impairment, and social, emotional and mental health needs. For families seeking a Catholic primary with strong academic outcomes and good local reputation, St Benedict's is a strong contender. The nearest outstanding-rated school is Lordswood School, 0.6 km away, which may be worth comparing for those with flexibility on religious character.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 4 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Lambourn Way, Chatham, Medway, ME5 8PU |
| Headteacher | Sarah McAlpine |
| Local Authority | Medway |
| Number of Pupils | 209 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 6.7% |
| School Capacity | 209 / 210 (100% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
1 May 2019Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (1 May 2019): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 8 Sept 2015. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (73%)
3126th of 13,686
Nationally
413th of 2,034
In South East
11th of 55
In Medway
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
73%
Expected Standard
7%
Higher Standard
'22/23
83%
'23/24
73%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed26
70
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
26 families put this school as their 1st choice (37% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:50 – 15:20
Breakfast club
07:30-08:40
After-school care
15:20-17:30
Source: st-benedicts.medway.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British56.5%
- Mixed11.9%
- White (other)4.8%
- Black1.9%
- Asian1.0%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
5
Total schools
5
Oversubscribed
5
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About St Benedict's Catholic Primary School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Lambourn Way, Chatham
Medway, ME5 8PU
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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