The Discovery School
Primary · Community school · Ages 4–11 · West Malling, Kent
Last distance offered · Reception 2026
5.01 miles
Published by Kent County Council · offers on 16 April 2026
2023–2025 trend 🔒
The Discovery School is a primary school in West Malling, Kent for ages 4–11 (community school). Its latest Ofsted outcome is Outstanding, from the inspection on 21 February 2023. Kent has published a last distance offered for this school for Reception 2023 to 2026 entry.
The Discovery School catchment area: last distance offered
Parents often call this the catchment area: it's how far from the school the last child offered a place lived. It changes every year.
| Entry | Last distance offered |
|---|---|
| Reception 2026 | 5.01 mi |
| Reception 2025 | 🔒 With a pass |
| Reception 2024 | 🔒 With a pass |
| Reception 2023 | 🔒 With a pass |
What the pass includes · How to read it: one past year, not a catchment
What the figures show
- In Reception 2026 the last child offered a place lived 5.01 miles away, the 98th longest of 434 Kent primary schools with a published last distance (middle 2.24 miles).
- The Reception last distance in 2026 was further from the school than in 2025 and nearer than in 2024, and it swung sharply between some years.
- Reception 2026 had 77 first-choice applications for 90 offers; 75 offers went to first-choice families, and 2 first-choice families were not offered a place.
- In 2024/25, 80% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (England 62%), and 18% reached the higher standard (England 8%).
Worked out by Catchmently from the published figures on this page and those for other Kent schools. Distances are as published; how they were measured differs between admission authorities.
Key facts
- Address
- Discovery Drive, Kings Hill, West Malling, ME19 4GJ
- Type
- Community school
- Phase
- Primary
- Ages
- 4–11
- Council
- Kent
- Pupils on roll
- 634 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 8.2% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 24
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
Outstanding Inspected 21 February 2023
Strengths
- “Pupils flourish in this highly ambitious, vibrant and inclusive community.”
- “They are unanimous in their praise, with one pupil describing it as a ‘privilege’ to attend this school.”
- “Leaders’ high expectations are rooted firmly in all areas of their work.”
Safeguarding: Effective
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 27 April 2023 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| Key stage 2 · reading, writing and maths, expected standard (2024/25) | 80% | 62% |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Applications and offers
- 2026 Reception entry: 77 first-preference applications, 90 offers in total, 75 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
Nearby primary schools
Straight-line distance, in Kent.
- Kings Hill School Primary and Nursery 0.8 mi Outstanding Last distance published
- Valley Invicta Primary School At Kings Hill 0.9 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Wateringbury Church of England Primary School 1.5 mi Not judged Last distance published
- More Park Catholic Primary School 1.6 mi School remains Good Last distance published
- Lift St James the Great 1.6 mi School remains Good Last distance published
- West Malling Church of England Primary School and McGinty Speech and Language Srp 1.7 mi Good Last distance published
- Leybourne, St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary Academy 2.1 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Ditton Church of England Junior School 2.3 mi No Ofsted grade