School profile

White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School

Primary · Academy converter · Dover, CT17 0LB

Good

Map showing White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School

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

National ranking

Key stage 2 2024/25

#10,344 of 15,057

Worse than 68% of schools in England

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

White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 8 May 2024

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

School facts

PhasePrimary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages2 to 11
Pupils277
GenderMixed
Head teacherMrs Helen Castle
TrustSAMPHIRE STAR EDUCATION TRUST
Local authorityKent
Opened01 Jun 2012
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 138168.

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 maths57%, worse than England, worse than Kent62%63%
Higher standard in reading, writing and mathsScore of 110 or more in reading and maths, greater depth in writing.0%, worse than England, worse than Kent10%8%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.104, worse than England, worse than Kent106106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.105, similar to England, similar to Kent104105
Average grammar, punctuation and spelling scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.102, worse than England, worse than Kent104105
Expected standard in reading67%, worse than England, worse than Kent75%76%
Expected standard in writing67%, worse than England, worse than Kent74%73%
Expected standard in maths67%, worse than England, worse than Kent71%75%
Pupils taking tests42--

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

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils277
Girls130
Boys147
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.54.9%
First language not English9%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.360
Pupils excluding nurseryPupils who take up school places.226
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.37.2%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.46
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.12
Average class size22.4

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
80.9%
Other White
4.7%
African
2.5%
Gypsy/Roma
1.1%
Other mixed
1.1%
Indian
0.7%
Irish
0.4%
White and Black Caribbean
0.4%
Other Black
0.4%
Other ethnic group
0.4%

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 teacher20.3
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.8.5
Teachers (FTE)12.62
Teaching assistants (FTE)14.6
Support staff (FTE)21.02
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2512.6
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2511
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/250.6
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/251

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.30
Applications (Reception)Includes every preference parents listed.61
First preference applications (Reception)Families who put this school as their first choice.36
First preference offers (Reception)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.30
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 absence7.4%, worse than England, worse than Kent5.4%5.1%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.20.8%, worse than England, worse than Kent14.4%13.2%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.0.9%, 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 rate1%
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 White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.3 miSecondaryDover Grammar School for BoysFoundation school
Good
0.4 miSecondaryAstor Secondary SchoolAcademy converter
Requires improvement
0.5 miPrimaryPriory Fields SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.5 miPrimaryShatterlocks Infant and Nursery SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
0.6 miPrimarySt Martin's SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.6 miPrimaryVale View Community SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miPrimaryBarton Junior SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.8 miPrimaryCharlton Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.8 miSecondaryDover Grammar School for GirlsCommunity school
Good
0.9 miSecondarySt Edmund's Catholic SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good

Frequently asked questions about White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School

What is White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School's Ofsted rating?

White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 8 May 2024.

How does White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School rank in England?

White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School ranks 10,344 of 15,057 schools in England for Key stage 2 2024/25 (worse than 68% of schools).

What are White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School's SATs results?

In 2024/25, 57% of pupils at White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (England 63%).

How hard is it to get into White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School?

For Reception entry in 2026/27, White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School made 30 offers from 61 applications (2 per offer), and 30 of 36 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School?

White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School has 277 pupils aged 2 to 11.

What is the capacity of White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School?

White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School had 360 school places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School?

At White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School, the average class had 22.4 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 20.3 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School?

In 2025/26, pupils at White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School missed 7.4% of sessions (England 5.1%), and 20.8% 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.