St Nicholas CEVC Primary School

About St Nicholas CEVC Primary School

St Nicholas CEVC Primary School in Medway is a Church of England primary for children aged 4 to 11, currently home to 148 pupils against a capacity of 180. That leaves around a fifth of its spaces unfilled, which is notable given the demand it sees at admissions. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 110 applications for 30 places, making it oversubscribed by a ratio of 3.67 to one. Of those 110 applicants, 30 put it as their first preference, and 28 first-preference offers were made. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals sits at 22.3%, which is higher than the national average for primary schools and suggests the school serves a community with above-average levels of disadvantage. Headteacher Katie Forghani-Ashrafi leads a mixed-gender state school that, despite its popularity at the gate, is operating below its full capacity — a combination that might appeal to families looking for a smaller setting with room to grow.

Academically, the picture is mixed. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2025, the school was rated Requires Improvement overall, though it wasn't formally judged on that final grade. The quality of education and leadership and management were both rated Requires Improvement, while early years provision, personal development, and behaviour and attitudes were all rated Good. That's a significant drop from its previous inspection in 2013, when it was judged Outstanding across the board. The school's most recent KS2 results aren't available in the data, but the local authority average for KS2 attainment in Medway is 62, which gives a benchmark. Parent opinion is divided: 65% of the 34 respondents to the Parent View survey would recommend the school, but a notable 35% would not. On behaviour, only 26% strongly agreed that the school makes sure pupils are well behaved, and 29% disagreed. Concerns about how issues are handled also split opinion, with 18% strongly agreeing and 18% strongly disagreeing that concerns are dealt with properly.

On the practical side, St Nicholas offers a decent range of facilities for a primary of its size, including a sports hall, gymnasium, playing fields, music rooms, art studios, and a Forest School area. Clubs include Eco Club, Chess, Choir, Gardening, Art Club and Film Club, and sports on offer are athletics, dance, cricket and cross country. The school has identified SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate and severe learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, and speech, language and communication needs — though the Parent View data shows no responses on whether SEND children get the support they need, so it's hard to gauge parent satisfaction there. The school is a Church of England voluntary controlled school, and its chapel is listed among its facilities. For families considering it, the key tension is between strong admissions demand and a recent Ofsted downgrade, alongside a parent body that's split on behaviour and leadership. It may suit families who value its smaller size, faith character, and range of activities, but who are prepared to engage closely with the school on standards.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About St Nicholas CEVC Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents