SchoolScoresDover, St Mary's CofE Primary School
Voluntary aided school · Primary, ages 4 to 11 · Mixed · Church of England
Laureston Place, Dover, CT16 1QX
01304 206887 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
At the inspection that started on 8 July 2025, Ofsted graded each area separately. It stopped giving an overall grade in September 2024.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
| Safeguarding | Effective |
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
What parents say
12 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025.
Dover comparisons use the 13 of its 22 state primary schools with comparable results. The other 9 have no published Parent View results (Ofsted only publishes a survey once at least 10 parents answer) or used Ofsted's newer questions, which we don't compare with the older ones.
| Statement | This school | Dover | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school Joint 8th highest of 13 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Dover. Higher than 31% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 92% | 91% | 89% |
| My child feels safe at this school 9th highest of 13 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Dover. Higher than 29% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 92% | 93% | 90% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 4th highest of 13 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Dover. Higher than 52% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 92% | 86% | 84% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent 10th highest of 13 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Dover. Higher than 25% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 83%said yes | 87% | 84% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 7%). Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. Dover figures pool parents at the Dover schools compared, from each school's latest survey, so survey dates differ between schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.
Results
Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25
20 pupils in this year group.
35% — 27 points below the Kent average, and 27 points below the England average.
| Measure | This school | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 35% | 62% | 62% |
| Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths | 0% | 10% | 8% |
| Met the expected standard in reading | 45% | 75% | 75% |
| Met the expected standard in writing | 65% | 74% | 72% |
| Met the expected standard in maths | 55% | 71% | 74% |
| Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 100 | 106 | 106 |
| Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 98 | 104 | 105 |
Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Kent. The national closing date for primary applications is 15 January, and offers are sent on 16 April.
How hard is it to get in?
For the September 2026 intake there were fewer first-choice applications than places.
| Places offered | 20 |
|---|---|
| Families who put it first | 16 |
| Of those, offered a place | 16 (100%) |
| Families who listed it at all | 42 |
First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.0 · 2025: 0.9 · 2026: 0.8
This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.
This is a Church of England school. When it has more applicants than places it can give priority to families of the faith, for example those who can show regular worship. Check the school's admissions policy to see how places are allocated.
Pupils, staff and SEND
| Pupils | This school | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 6th highest of 22 state primary schools in Dover. Higher than 96% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 60.5% | 27.2%* | 26.3% |
| With an education, health and care plan 18th highest of 22 state primary schools in Dover. Higher than 13% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 1.2% | 3.0%* | 3.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 9th highest of 22 state primary schools in Dover. Higher than 73% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 18.0% | 13.8%* | 15.0% |
| English as an additional language 2nd highest of 22 state primary schools in Dover. Higher than 87% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 43.7% | 15.8%* | 23.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 21st lowest of 22 state primary schools in Dover. Lower than 2% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 8.9% | 5.5%* | 5.2% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 21st lowest of 22 state primary schools in Dover. Lower than 1% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 30.8% | 14.4%* | 13.0% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils 18th lowest of 22 state primary schools in Dover. Lower than 14% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 5.4 | 3.0 | 2.5 |
| Pupils suspended at least once 20th lowest of 22 state primary schools in Dover. Lower than 5% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 4.2% | 1.3% | 1.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.01% | 0.03% |
| Pupils per teacher 15th highest of 22 state primary schools in Dover. Higher than 20% of 16,642 state primary schools in England. | 17.6 | 20.5 | 20.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 19th highest of 22 state primary schools in Dover. Higher than 6% of 16,653 state primary schools in England. | 7.3 | 10.3 | 10.6 |
| Teachers who left during the year 13th highest of 21 state primary schools in Dover. Higher than 41% of 15,063 state primary schools in England. | 10.2% | 14.4%* | 14.4%* |
Comparisons are with primary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
Nearby primary schools
- St Richard's Catholic Primary School 0.5 miles · Ofsted: Good (2014, before conversion), confirmed 2022 · 69% met expected standard (KS2)
- Charlton CofE Primary School 0.7 miles · Ofsted: Good (2018), confirmed 2023 · 45% met expected standard (KS2)
- Barton Junior School 0.8 miles · Ofsted: Good (2014), confirmed 2024 · 66% met expected standard (KS2)
- Priory Fields School 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2013, before conversion), confirmed 2024 · 53% met expected standard (KS2)
- Guston CofE Primary School 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2012, before conversion), confirmed 2021 · 60% met expected standard (KS2)
- Vale View Community School 1.0 miles · Ofsted: Good (2022) · 60% met expected standard (KS2)
- Shatterlocks Infant and Nursery School 1.2 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2019), confirmed 2025
- St Martin's School 1.3 miles · Ofsted: Good (2014, before conversion), confirmed 2024 · 70% met expected standard (KS2)
- White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School 1.3 miles · Ofsted: Good (2024) · 57% met expected standard (KS2)
- Green Park Community Primary School 1.5 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2017), confirmed with concerns 2023 · 35% met expected standard (KS2)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Dover, St Mary's CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
At its inspection in 8 July 2025, Ofsted graded each area separately; it stopped giving an overall grade in September 2024.
How did Dover, St Mary's CofE Primary School do in its SATs?
In 2024/25, 35% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 27 points below the England average of 62%.
Would parents recommend Dover, St Mary's CofE Primary School?
83% of the 12 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025 said they would recommend Dover, St Mary's CofE Primary School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Is Dover, St Mary's CofE Primary School oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 16 families put Dover, St Mary's CofE Primary School as their first choice for 20 places: fewer first-choice applications than places. 16 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 118748.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 3 September 2024 to 1 September 2025.
- Results: DfE school performance tables, Key stage 2 2024/25.
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Page updated 26 September 2026.