Best Primary Schools in Kent 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 459 schools across Kent. Updated with 2025–26 data.

How many schools?
459
Open primary schools in Kent
Closed schools excluded
Inspection picture
423 Good or better
of 457 with a historic Ofsted grade
Historic single-word grades · pre-Nov-2025
How is this list ordered?
SNM score
St Michael's Church of England Infant School Maidstone currently leads
Methodology

Kent has 459 open primary schools. Of the 457 with a published Ofsted inspection, 58 (13%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 93% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, St Michael's Church of England Infant School Maidstone currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Kent follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score Profile
1. St Michael's Church of England Infant School Maidstone
Primary
 Outstanding 95 View school
2. Shipbourne School
Primary
 Good 91 View school
3. Chiddingstone Church of England School
Primary
 Outstanding 90 View school
4. Brabourne Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Good 89 View school
5. Four Elms Primary School
Primary
 Good 89 View school
6. Lady Boswell's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Sevenoaks
Primary
 Outstanding 89 View school
7. St Thomas' Catholic Primary School, Sevenoaks
Primary
 Outstanding 89 View school
8. Sheldwich Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 87 View school
9. Chilton Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 87 View school
10. Pluckley Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Good 87 View school
11. Sturry Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 86 View school
12. Kingsdown and Ringwould Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 86 View school
13. Wickhambreaux Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 86 View school
14. Ethelbert Road Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 86 View school
15. Speldhurst Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 85 View school
16. Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 85 View school
17. Allington Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 85 View school
18. Maidstone, St John's Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 85 View school
19. Valley Invicta Primary School at Holborough Lakes
Primary
 Good 84 View school
20. Queenborough School and Nursery
Primary
 Outstanding 84 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for Kent

Best primary schools in KentTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in KentTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in KentPrimary & secondary combined Secondary schools in KentYear 7 onwards How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in MedwayCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in Southend-on-SeaCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in ThurrockCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in BexleyCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Kent

Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

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Frequently asked questions

How many primary schools are there in Kent?
There are 459 open primary schools in Kent (closed schools are excluded). 58 of the 457 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated primary schools in Kent?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked primary school in Kent is St Michael's Church of England Infant School Maidstone. The full ranked table above lists the top 20 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Kent?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Kent?
Primary and secondary applications in Kent are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Kent council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.