Smarden Primary School
Pluckley Road, Smarden, Ashford, TN27 8NDOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Smarden Primary School is a primary school in Ashford for ages 2 to 11. It is one of the 692 schools in Kent. It ranks 11th of 38 primary schools in Ashford. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in March 2013.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 14 March 2013, report published 22 April 2013
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Outstanding
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 10 May 2023
All at Smarden Primary have the highest aspirations and ambition for all their pupils. Pupils benefit from this ambition and the thorough approach to everything in school. They are happy and do well in their academic and wider development. Pupils rise to the high expectations and focus well on their learning. They enjoy the engaging curriculum that has been planned by leaders with the pupils' needs and interests in mind. Pupils are proud of their school and the wider opportunities that they have to develop as individuals. Older pupils in particular speak with confidence about this and how it prepares them well for the future. Pupils behave well. They are courteous, polite and interested in other people. Right from Nursery, pupils learn the importance of showing respect for each other. They listen carefully to ideas and hold conversations with consideration of different views. Pupils are happy at school, whether in lessons or at playtime. These are joyful occasions where they play well together, with pupils from all year groups joining in considerately. Pupils generally behave well in class and there is little bullying. Pupils feel safe. They trust all adults in school, and this enables them all to thrive.
What the school should improve
- Assessment is not fully effective across the curriculum. Where it is weaker, it is difficult for teachers to build on pupils' prior learning because they do not know exactly what that is. Leaders need to continue their work to ensure that staff have the knowledge to use assessment well across the curriculum.
- Learning is not joined up fully for children moving from Nursery to Reception and onwards. This means that children are not fully prepared for their next steps. Leaders need to ensure that Nursery and Reception staff have secure knowledge of what children learn at each stage in every area of learning so that they can build on this effectively.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
18 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
172 pupils on roll, with places for 105
Schools near Smarden Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bethersden Primary School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | 46% met the expected standard |
| Pluckley Church of England Primary School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | 82% met the expected standard |
| John Mayne Church of England Primary School | 3 miles | Report card: Needs attention to expected standard | 27% met the expected standard |
| Egerton Church of England Primary School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | 55% met the expected standard |
| Headcorn Primary School | 3 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good | 62% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- THE KEMNAL ACADEMIES TRUST
- Age range
- 2 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mrs Claudia Miller
- Phone
- 01233770316
- Address
- Pluckley Road, Smarden, Ashford, TN27 8ND
- Local authority
- Kent
- URN
- 137529
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.