School profile

Sandling Primary School

Primary · Community school · Maidstone, ME14 2JG

Good

Map showing Sandling Primary School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

Key stage 2 2024/25

#6,380 of 15,057

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Sandling Primary School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 7 May 2025

Area360 rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhasePrimary
TypeCommunity school
Ages4 to 11
Pupils421
GenderMixed
Head teacherMiss Claire Coombes
Local authorityKent
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 118511.

Key stage 2 results

2024/25

Year 6 results in national curriculum tests and teacher assessments. The expected standard is the level pupils should reach by the end of primary school.

MeasureThis schoolKentEngland
Expected standard in reading, writing and maths67%, better than England, better than Kent62%63%
Higher standard in reading, writing and mathsScore of 110 or more in reading and maths, greater depth in writing.10%, similar to England, similar to Kent10%8%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.106, similar to England, similar to Kent106106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.103, worse than England, similar to Kent104105
Average grammar, punctuation and spelling scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.104, similar to England, similar to Kent104105
Expected standard in reading82%, better than England, better than Kent75%76%
Expected standard in writing87%, better than England, better than Kent74%73%
Expected standard in maths68%, worse than England, similar to Kent71%75%
Pupils taking tests60--

Source: DfE, Compare school performance, Compare school performance 2024-2025.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils421
Girls202
Boys219
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.10.2%
First language not English13.5%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.420
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.0%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.43
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.7
Average class size30.1

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
76.5%
Other White
7.1%
African
3.1%
Chinese
2.4%
Other Asian
2.1%
Pakistani
1.7%
White and Asian
1.4%
Indian
1.4%
Other mixed
1.2%
Gypsy/Roma
1%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher22.3
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11.4
Teachers (FTE)18.9
Teaching assistants (FTE)16.94
Support staff (FTE)24.38
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2516.7
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2515.9
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/250.8
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/250

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Reception)Places offered on national offer day.44
Applications (Reception)Includes every preference parents listed.107
First preference applications (Reception)Families who put this school as their first choice.33
First preference offers (Reception)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.33
Applications from another local authority (Reception)0

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolKentEngland
Overall absence3.5%, better than England, better than Kent5.4%5.1%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.8.6%, better than England, better than Kent14.4%13.2%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.1.1%, similar to England, similar to Kent1.2%1%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate6.7%
Pupils with one or more suspensions1%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Sandling Primary School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.5 miPrimarySt Paul's Infant SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.6 miPrimaryNorth Borough Junior SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.1 miPrimaryValley Invicta Primary School At East BoroughAcademy converter
Good
1.2 miSecondaryMaidstone Grammar School for GirlsFoundation school
Outstanding
1.2 miSecondaryInvicta Grammar SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
1.2 miSecondaryThe Maplesden Noakes SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.3 miNot applicableMEPA ACADEMYOther independent school
Good
1.3 miSecondaryValley Park SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.4 miPrimaryBrunswick House Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.4 miPrimaryLeigh Academy BearstedFree schools
Outstanding

Frequently asked questions about Sandling Primary School

What is Sandling Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Sandling Primary School is rated Good, last inspected on 7 May 2025. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Sandling Primary School rank in England?

Sandling Primary School ranks 6,380 of 15,057 schools in England for Key stage 2 2024/25 (similar to most schools).

What are Sandling Primary School's SATs results?

In 2024/25, 67% of pupils at Sandling Primary School met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (England 63%).

How hard is it to get into Sandling Primary School?

For Reception entry in 2026/27, Sandling Primary School made 44 offers from 107 applications (2.4 per offer), and 33 of 33 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Sandling Primary School?

Sandling Primary School has 421 pupils aged 4 to 11.

What is the capacity of Sandling Primary School?

Sandling Primary School had 420 school places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Sandling Primary School?

At Sandling Primary School, the average class had 30.1 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 22.3 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Sandling Primary School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Sandling Primary School missed 3.5% of sessions (England 5.1%), and 8.6% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 13.2%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.