St Katherine's School & Nursery

About St Katherine's School & Nursery

St Katherine's School & Nursery sits in a tricky spot compared with the Kent primary average. Its KS2 combined reading, writing and maths expected standard score of 52% is a clear 11 percentage points below the local authority average of 63%, and that gap places it 36th out of 41 schools in Tonbridge and Malling — the bottom 12% of its borough. Only 2% of pupils reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths, and maths higher attainment was 8%, both figures that suggest stretching the most able is a work in progress. On the other hand, the school's most recent Ofsted inspection in early 2024 awarded it an overall Good rating, with Outstanding marks for personal development and for behaviour and attitudes. That's a significant improvement from its previous inspection in 2017, when it was rated Requires Improvement across the board. So while the raw academic numbers lag behind the local average, the inspection team clearly saw real strengths in how the school supports children's character and conduct.

Digging into the KS2 results, the picture is mixed but not without bright spots. Reading and maths both averaged a score of 101, which is exactly the national baseline, and 62% of pupils met the expected standard in each — close to the LA average of 63% for the combined measure. Writing was stronger, with 68% reaching the expected standard, though only 2% hit the higher threshold. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it's hard to say whether pupils are catching up or falling behind relative to their starting points. The school's national ranking on the KS2 combined measure places it in the bottom quarter of all primaries in England, at the 75th percentile from the bottom. That's a sobering statistic, but it's worth noting that the school serves a community where 27.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average, and the Ofsted report highlighted Outstanding leadership and management, which suggests the school is heading in the right direction.

St Katherine's is a three-form entry primary with nursery provision for children from age three, and it was oversubscribed for 2025/26, receiving 130 applications for 60 places — a ratio of 2.17 applicants per place. Of those, 58 first-preference offers were made out of 59 first-preference applications, so families who put it first have a very strong chance. The school has a broad range of SEND provisions covering ten categories, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities, which makes it a practical choice for parents whose children need additional support. Facilities include a library, gymnasium, playing fields and a chapel, and the extracurricular offer runs to drama, chess, choir, book club and eco club, plus sports like netball, football, rounders and cricket. For families in Tonbridge and Malling who value strong pastoral care and a school that has demonstrably turned around its leadership and behaviour culture, St Katherine's is worth a close look — just be aware that its academic results currently trail the local average.

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