Information regarding our School Performance 2025-2026
School Overview & Inspection Status
Capel Primary School is a smaller-than-average primary school in Five Oak Green, Tonbridge, led by Head Teacher Suzanne Farr.
- Ofsted Rating: The school was rated Good in its most recent ungraded inspection on 15 May 2024.
- Pupil Numbers: There are 209 pupils on roll in total (185 of statutory school age), with a planned admission intake of 30 pupils for EYFS
Attendance & Behaviour
Attendance at Capel Primary is consistently stronger than both the Kent and national averages.
- Overall Absence: For 2024/25, total absence was 5.1%, beating both the Kent average (5.5%) and the national average (5.2%).
- Persistent Absence: 11.4% of pupils were persistently absent in 2024/25, which is notably better than Kent (14.6%) and national (13.0%) figures.
- Exclusions: There have been zero permanent exclusions and zero suspensions recorded across the 2023/24, 2024/25, and 2025/26 academic years.
Academic Performance (2025 vs. 2026)
The school has seen strong upward momentum across almost all year groups in 2026. (Note: 2026 Key Stage 2 data is provisional.)
1. Early Years (Reception - Good Level of Development)
- 2026 Results: 73.3% of Reception children achieved a Good Level of Development (up from 60.0% in 2025). This surpasses the emerging national average of 72.4%.
- Literacy & Maths: 73.3% met expected standards in Literacy, and 80.0% met expected standards in Maths.
2. Year 1 & Year 2 Phonics
- Year 1: 80.0% of pupils met the expected standard in 2026 (up from 75.9% in 2025), performing in line with Kent (81.1%) and national (81.8%) averages.
- End of Year 2: 76.9% met the expected standard by the end of Year 2 in 2026 (compared to 88.5% across Kent).
Key Stage 2 (Year 6 SATs)
Year 6 results saw significant improvements in 2026, particularly in Writing, Maths, and high-attaining scores:
| Subject / Measure | School (2025) | School (2026) | Kent (2026) | National (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combined Reading, Writing & Maths (Expected+) | 38% | 51.6% | 62.9% | 63.2% |
| Combined Reading, Writing & Maths (Higher Standard) | 0% | 16.1% | 9.6% | 8.6% |
| Reading (Expected+) | 66% | 64.5% | 75.1% | 75.0% |
| Writing (Expected+) | 62% | 80.6% | 74.6% | 73.1% |
| Maths (Expected+) | 48% | 77.4% | 72.4% | 75.0% |
| Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling (Expected+) | 38% | 67.7% | 70.7% | 73.7% |
Key Takeaways
- Strengths: Capel Primary excels in Writing (80.6%) and Maths (77.4%) at Year 6, beating both Kent and national benchmarks. Furthermore, 16.1% of Year 6 pupils achieved the higher standard across all three core subjects combined—nearly double the national rate of 8.6%.
- Pastoral Care & Environment: High attendance rates and zero exclusions over three years point to a calm, welcoming, and well-managed school environment.
- Areas of Focus: While combined Year 6 attainment jumped significantly from 38% in 2025 to 51.6% in 2026, it remains below the national average of 63.2%, primarily driven by Year 6 Reading (64.5% vs. 75.0% nationally). Additionally, narrowing the attainment gap for disadvantaged pupils remains an ongoing priority across all key stages.
Outperforming National Benchmarks:
Capel Primary exceeded the 2026 national average in Reception Good Level of Development (73.3% vs. 72.4%),
KS2 Writing (80.6% vs. 73.1%), and KS2 Maths (77.4% vs. 75.0%).