St Paul's Cray Church of England Primary School

About St Paul's Cray Church of England Primary School

St Paul's Cray Church of England Primary School was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2016. The school now holds Good marks across all five inspection categories, including Quality of Education, Behaviour and Attitudes, Personal Development, Leadership and Management, and Early Years Provision. When it comes to academic outcomes, the most telling metric is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined at Key Stage 2. Just 43% of pupils achieved this benchmark in the 2023/24 academic year, compared with the Bromley local authority average of 69%. That places the school 66th out of 69 primary schools in the borough, in the bottom 50% nationally. The picture is more mixed when looking at individual subjects: 63% of pupils met the expected standard in reading and 67% in writing, but only 57% did so in maths.

The school's Progress 8 scores are not available in the data, but the average scaled scores offer some context. Pupils achieved an average reading score of 103 and an average maths score of exactly 100, which is the national benchmark. At the higher standard, just 7% of pupils reached that level in reading, writing and maths combined, and the same proportion did so in maths alone. In writing, 10% achieved the higher standard, while 20% did so in reading. The school's ranking score of 43 places it well below the top-performing peers in Bromley, such as St James' Roman Catholic Primary School with a score of 94. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Midfield Primary School, about 2 km away. For parents weighing up options, these figures suggest a school that has stabilised its leadership and behaviour but is still working to bring core academic outcomes up to the local average.

St Paul's Cray is a Church of England primary for children aged 2 to 11, with a nursery on site. It has capacity for 320 pupils but currently enrols 206, so there is room to grow. The school was oversubscribed for 2025/26 entry, receiving 38 applications for 21 places, with all 21 first-preference applicants offered a spot. A high proportion of pupils — 43.7% — are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. Facilities include playing fields, a library, a sensory room, a forest school, music rooms and a chapel. Sports on offer include tennis, athletics, cross country, netball and swimming, and there is a good range of clubs from coding and science to drama, art, eco and book club. The school has identified SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, and hearing and visual impairments. This is a school that suits families looking for a smaller, community-focused setting with strong pastoral and SEND support, set within a clear Christian ethos.

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