Voluntary aided school · Kent

St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

2–11Ages
279Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
118754URN

St Mary's Road, Swanley, BR8 7BU · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Dec 2022 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.2per place

0.3 below Kent median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Kent

63 applications for 29 places · 239th of 385 in Kent

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

59%met the expected standard

Kent 65% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 6 December 2022Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.2applications per place, Reception

0.3 below Kent median (2.4) close to England median (2.2)

63 applications · 29 places offered · 31 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.2; Kent median median 2.4
2025 2.0; Kent median median 2.3
2024 1.7; Kent median median 2.4
2023 1.7; Kent median median 2.3
2022 1.7; Kent median median 2.1
2021 1.6; Kent median median 2.2
2020 1.9; Kent median median 2.2
2019 1.6; Kent median median 2.1
2018 1.9; Kent median median 2.1
2017 1.7; Kent median median 2.2
2016 1.6; Kent median median 2.5
2015 1.8; Kent median median 2.4
2014 2.0; Kent median median 2.3

More applications per place than the Kent median in 0 of 13 years.

This school
Kent median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	29	63	2.2	31	1.07
Sep 2025	23	46	2.0	19	0.83
Sep 2024	29	48	1.7	23	0.79
Sep 2023	28	48	1.7	26	0.93
Sep 2022	23	40	1.7	21	0.91
Sep 2021	29	47	1.6	24	0.83
Sep 2020	30	58	1.9	32	1.07
Sep 2019	30	48	1.6	27	0.90
Sep 2018	20	37	1.9	20	1.00
Sep 2017	28	48	1.7	27	0.96
Sep 2016	30	49	1.6	25	0.83
Sep 2015	30	54	1.8	31	1.03
Sep 2014	30	60	2.0	40	1.33

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 66% · Writing 76% · Maths 72% → all three 59% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard59%270th of 421 in Kent

Kent 65% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard66%

Kent 78% England 78%

Higher standard14%

Kent 35% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard76%

Kent 77% England 75%

Greater depth17%

Kent 15% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard72%

Kent 75% England 77%

Higher standard21%

Kent 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 102 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Kent median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	59%	7%	104	102
2023/24	39%	6%	102	101
2022/23	42%	0%	103	102

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2022

2.2applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
High Firs Primary School
0.6 km · Kent

Good2023

3.5applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
St Bartholomew's Catholic Primary School, Swanley
0.7 km · Kent

Remains Good2022

1.8applications per place
Horizon Primary Academy
0.8 km · Kent

Remains Good · improving2024

2.7applications per place 77%met the SATs standard
Crockenhill Primary School
1.0 km · Kent

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.8applications per place 41%met the SATs standard
Downsview Community Primary School
1.2 km · Kent

2025

1.3applications per place 52%met the SATs standard
St Pauls' Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
2.4 km · Kent

Graded · no overall grade2025

5.6applications per place 75%met the SATs standard
Hextable Primary School
2.5 km · Kent

Remains Good2023

1.9applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
Manor Oak Primary School
3.0 km · Bromley

Remains Good2023

3.4applications per place 69%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 118754 · 886/3373
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 210 pupils · 279 on roll
Free school meals: 36.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: St Mary's Road, Swanley, BR8 7BU
Local authority: Kent · Sevenoaks

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources