Water Meadows Primary School
Primary · Academy sponsor led · Ages 4–11 · Canterbury, Kent
Water Meadows Primary School is a primary school in Canterbury, Kent for ages 4–11 (academy sponsor led). Its latest Ofsted outcome is Standards maintained, from the inspection on 29 January 2025. Kent has published a last distance offered for this school for Reception 2026 entry.
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Key facts
- Address
- Shaftesbury Road, Hersden, Canterbury, CT3 4HS
- Type
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase
- Primary
- Ages
- 4–11
- Sector
- See recorded establishment type
- Council
- Kent
- Pupils on roll
- 188 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 37.8% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 18.3
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
Standards maintained Inspected 29 January 2025
Strengths
- “Pupils know that they are an important part of the team at Water Meadows.”
- “Their ideas and opinions are invited, valued and carefully considered.”
- “Pupils take their responsibilities, for example being part of developing playtimes or as digital leaders helping in computing lessons, seriously.”
To improve
- “Occasionally, a few pupils do not behave as well at social times as they do in class.”
- “Occasionally, teachers do not match tasks clearly to the key knowledge they want pupils to learn in the wider curriculum.”
- “However, currently the checks on what pupils are learning across the wider curriculum are not fully developed.”
Safeguarding: Effective
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 5 March 2025 (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) | 71% | 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: 24 first-preference applications, 25 offers in total, 24 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
Last distance offered and catchment
A one-off £9.99 pass, no subscription, unlocks for 3 months:
- Last distance offered for Reception 2026, as Kent published it, drawn on the map
- Earlier years of applications and offers
- Earlier years of exam results
- Which schools pupils move on to or come from
- Crime, sold prices, broadband and transport around the school
A last distance offered describes one past year and is not a catchment or a promise of a place. Check with the council before you apply.
Nearby primary schools
Straight-line distance, in Kent.
- Hoath Primary School 1.4 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Sturry Church of England Primary School 1.5 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Chislet Church of England Primary School 1.9 mi Good Last distance published
- Wickhambreaux Church of England Primary School 2.5 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Herne Church of England Infant and Nursery School 2.5 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Herne Church of England Junior School 2.6 mi School remains Outstanding
- Littlebourne Church of England Primary School 2.8 mi Some aspects not as strong Last distance published
- Parkside Community Foundation Primary School 3.0 mi Good Last distance published