St Thomas of Canterbury RC Primary School

About St Thomas of Canterbury RC Primary School

St Thomas of Canterbury RC Primary School sits in Medway, a local authority where the average Key Stage 2 score for primary schools is 62. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in 2023, rated it Good overall, and it has held that rating consistently since at least 2013. That puts it in the majority of Medway primaries — only four out of 76 schools in the LA are rated Outstanding, and the nearest one, Lordswood School, is 4.5 km away. What stands out here is not headline-grabbing results but a steady, reliable performance that matches the local benchmark. The school is oversubscribed by a factor of 2.7, with 81 applications for 30 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, and 36 of those were first-preference choices. That level of demand suggests local families see it as a solid, trusted option, even if its metrics don’t leap above the LA average.

Academically, the school’s Ofsted breakdown shows a Good rating for overall effectiveness, leadership and management, and the early years provision in its 2013 graded inspection, though the 2023 ungraded inspection confirmed it remains Good without issuing new graded sub-judgements. The data doesn’t include specific Progress 8 or KS2 SATs scores, so it’s hard to compare directly against the LA average of 62. However, the school’s capacity is 210, and it currently has 240 pupils — 30 over — which suggests it’s popular and possibly stretching its resources. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is 12.2, slightly below the national average, and the school serves a Roman Catholic community, which may shape its intake. Without exam figures, the best proxy for academic health is the sustained Good rating and the fact that first-preference offers went to all 30 places, indicating strong local confidence.

Practical context: the school offers a nursery for three-year-olds and a full range of primary education up to age 11. Facilities include a sensory room, chapel, library, gymnasium, sports hall, and outdoor playground, plus art studios and playing fields. Sports on offer are rounders, tennis, netball, gymnastics, and dance, with clubs in drama, gardening, and choir. SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language issues, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder — a broad and inclusive offer. The school is state-funded and mixed, with no boarding or sixth form. It suits families in Medway who want a faith-based primary with a strong local reputation, a wide range of facilities, and a clear track record of Good Ofsted outcomes. The oversubscription means applying early is wise, especially as a first preference.

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