Academy sponsor led · Kent

Lift St James the Great

3–11Ages
176Pupils
PrimaryPhase
138074URN

Chapman Way, East Malling, ME19 6SD · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodMar 2018

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Sep 2023

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.2per place

1.2 below Kent median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Kent

26 applications for 21 places · 382nd of 385 in Kent

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

79%met the expected standard

Kent 65% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodMar 2018

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Sep 2023

Inspection history

13 September 2023
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good
7 March 2018
Graded inspection: 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

1.2applications per place, Reception

1.2 below Kent median (2.4) 0.9 below England median (2.2)

26 applications · 21 places offered · 19 named it first

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 1.2; Kent median median 2.4
2025 1.6; Kent median median 2.3
2024 1.3; Kent median median 2.4
2023 1.5; Kent median median 2.3
2022 0.8; Kent median median 2.1
2021 1.3; Kent median median 2.2
2020 1.4; Kent median median 2.2
2019 1.4; Kent median median 2.1
2018 1.1; Kent median median 2.1
2017 1.1; Kent median median 2.2
2016 1.1; Kent median median 2.5
2015 1.3; Kent median median 2.4
2014 1.1; 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	21	26	1.2	19	0.90
Sep 2025	16	25	1.6	15	0.94
Sep 2024	22	28	1.3	22	1.00
Sep 2023	17	26	1.5	15	0.88
Sep 2022	27	22	0.8	15	0.56
Sep 2021	21	27	1.3	18	0.86
Sep 2020	25	34	1.4	22	0.88
Sep 2019	20	27	1.4	19	0.95
Sep 2018	25	27	1.1	24	0.96
Sep 2017	30	33	1.1	27	0.90
Sep 2016	28	31	1.1	25	0.89
Sep 2015	24	30	1.3	22	0.92
Sep 2014	22	24	1.1	18	0.82

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 82% · Writing 82% · Maths 86% → all three 79% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard79%62nd of 421 in Kent

Kent 65% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard82%

Kent 78% England 78%

Higher standard54%

Kent 35% England 33%

Average scaled score 110 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard82%

Kent 77% England 75%

Greater depth11%

Kent 15% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard86%

Kent 75% England 77%

Higher standard21%

Kent 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 107 (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	79%	11%	110	107
2023/24	80%	3%	107	105
2022/23	67%	5%	103	104

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

Lift St James the GreatThis school
This school

Remains Good2023

1.2applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
More Park Catholic Primary School
1.0 km · Kent

Remains Good2023

1.7applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
Brookfield Infant School
1.0 km · Kent

Good2023

2.1applications per place
Lunsford Primary School
1.1 km · Kent

Remains Good2023

3.4applications per place 35%met the SATs standard
Brookfield Junior School
1.1 km · Kent

Remains Good2023

63%met the SATs standard
Leybourne, St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary Academy
1.2 km · Kent

2026

2.5applications per place 81%met the SATs standard
Ditton Church of England Junior School
1.5 km · Kent

Requires improvement2019

44%met the SATs standard
Ditton Infant School
1.7 km · Kent

Good2022

2.9applications per place
West Malling Church of England Primary School and McGinty Speech and Language Srp
1.7 km · Kent

Good2023

2.3applications per place 60%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: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 138074 · 886/2006
Trust: Lift Schools
Capacity: 210 pupils · 176 on roll
Free school meals: 55.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 April 2012
Replaced: St James the Great Primary and Nursery School (URN 134975)
Address: Chapman Way, East Malling, ME19 6SD
Local authority: Kent · Tonbridge and Malling

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