Wayfield Primary School
Academy · Primary, ages 2 to 11 · Mixed · Nursery class
Part of THE PRIMARY FIRST TRUST
Wayfield Road, Chatham, ME5 0HH
03000 658230 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted report card from the inspection that started on 4 December 2025 , published 5 February 2026.
In short: 2 needs attention, 5 urgent improvement, and safeguarding not met.
Since November 2025 Ofsted grades each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. How report cards work.
Category of concern: Special measures. Ofsted will monitor the school closely until it improves.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| SafeguardingWhether pupils are kept safe. Met or not met. | Not met |
| InclusionHow well the school supports disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs. | Urgent improvement The lowest of five grades. Ofsted found serious weaknesses that need fixing quickly. |
| Curriculum and teachingWhat pupils are taught and how well they are taught it. | Urgent improvement The lowest of five grades. Ofsted found serious weaknesses that need fixing quickly. |
| AchievementHow well pupils learn and the results they get. | Urgent improvement The lowest of five grades. Ofsted found serious weaknesses that need fixing quickly. |
| Attendance and behaviourWhether pupils come to school and how they behave. | Urgent improvement The lowest of five grades. Ofsted found serious weaknesses that need fixing quickly. |
| Personal development and wellbeingPupils' wider development, character and wellbeing. | Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this. |
| Early yearsNursery and reception classes. | Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this. |
| Leadership and governanceHow well leaders and governors run the school. | Urgent improvement The lowest of five grades. Ofsted found serious weaknesses that need fixing quickly. |
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
What parents say
68 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 10 November 2025 and 6 April 2026.
| Statement | This school | England |
|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school Higher than 1% of 1,091 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 49% | 83% |
| My child feels safe at this school Higher than 1% of 1,091 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 47% | 85% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved Higher than 2% of 1,091 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 35% | 78% |
| Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 40 parents whose child had been bullied Higher than 6% of 329 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 13% | 43% |
| Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 65 parents who had raised a concern Higher than 1% of 1,062 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 28% | 74% |
| My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 18 parents of children with SEND Higher than 1% of 552 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 17% | 63% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent Higher than 1% of 1,091 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 38%said yes | 83% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 16%). 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. 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. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.
Results
Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25
32 pupils in this year group.
31% — 30 points below the Medway average, and 31 points below the England average.
| Measure | This school | Medway | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 31% | 61% | 62% |
| Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths | 3% | 7% | 8% |
| Met the expected standard in reading | 56% | 73% | 75% |
| Met the expected standard in writing | 84% | 73% | 72% |
| Met the expected standard in maths | 50% | 71% | 74% |
| Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 101 | 105 | 106 |
| Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 101 | 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 Medway. 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 about one first-choice application for every place.
| Places offered | 30 |
|---|---|
| Families who put it first | 30 |
| Of those, offered a place | 30 (100%) |
| Families who listed it at all | 73 |
First-choice applications per place: 2024: 0.9 · 2025: 1.0 · 2026: 1.0
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.
Pupils, staff and SEND
| Pupils | This school | Medway | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 9th highest of 22 state primary schools in Chatham. Higher than 82% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 41.3% | 28.5%* | 26.3% |
| With an education, health and care plan 18th highest of 22 state primary schools in Chatham. Higher than 4% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 0.5% | 2.1%* | 3.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 18th highest of 22 state primary schools in Chatham. Higher than 54% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 14.9% | 16.6%* | 15.0% |
| English as an additional language 16th highest of 22 state primary schools in Chatham. Higher than 59% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 13.9% | 18.9%* | 23.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 19th lowest of 22 state primary schools in Chatham. Lower than 4% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 8.1% | 5.6%* | 5.2% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 18th lowest of 22 state primary schools in Chatham. Lower than 3% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 27.0% | 15.0%* | 13.0% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils 19th lowest of 22 state primary schools in Chatham. Lower than 17% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 4.7 | 2.7 | 2.5 |
| Pupils suspended at least once 21st lowest of 22 state primary schools in Chatham. Lower than 15% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 2.4% | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded1 pupil | 0.24% | 0.01% | 0.03% |
| Pupils per teacher 5th highest of 22 state primary schools in Chatham. Higher than 86% of 16,642 state primary schools in England. | 24.0 | 21.5 | 20.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 9th highest of 22 state primary schools in Chatham. Higher than 76% of 16,653 state primary schools in England. | 12.3 | 11.1 | 10.6 |
| Teachers who left during the year 9th highest of 21 state primary schools in Chatham. Higher than 63% of 15,063 state primary schools in England. | 16.7% | 16.3%* | 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
- New Horizons Children's Academy 0.4 miles · Ofsted: Good (2017), confirmed 2022 · 35% met expected standard (KS2)
- Kingfisher Community Primary School 0.6 miles · Ofsted: Good (2019), confirmed 2025 · 66% met expected standard (KS2)
- Maundene School 0.7 miles · Ofsted: Good (2022) · 56% met expected standard (KS2)
- Greenvale Primary School 0.8 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023)
- St Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School 0.9 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2024, before conversion) · 78% met expected standard (KS2)
- Phoenix Primary School 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023) · 38% met expected standard (KS2)
- Balfour Infant School 0.9 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2024)
- Luton Primary School 1.0 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023, before conversion) · 36% met expected standard (KS2)
- Oaklands School 1.0 miles · Ofsted: Good (2018, before conversion), confirmed 2023 · 70% met expected standard (KS2)
- Warren Wood Primary School 1.0 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) · 38% met expected standard (KS2)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Wayfield Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Wayfield Primary School was inspected under Ofsted's report card format in 4 December 2025. Report cards grade each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. Its grades were 2 needs attention, 5 urgent improvement, and safeguarding was not met.
How did Wayfield Primary School do in its SATs?
In 2024/25, 31% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 31 points below the England average of 62%.
Would parents recommend Wayfield Primary School?
38% of the 68 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 10 November 2025 and 6 April 2026 said they would recommend Wayfield Primary School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Is Wayfield Primary School oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 30 families put Wayfield Primary School as their first choice for 30 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 30 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 143909.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 10 November 2025 to 6 April 2026.
- Results: DfE school performance tables, Key stage 2 2024/25.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.