Best primary schools in Canterbury (2026)
Canterbury has 8 ranked primary schools with published results. The top-ranked is St Thomas' Catholic Primary School, Canterbury, in the top 18% in England. The average reading, writing & maths here in 2025 was 51%, against 62% for England. 0 are in England's top 10%, and 0 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted.
| Rank | School | Reading, writing & maths (2023–2025 average) | Reading, writing & maths 2025 | Trend | Higher standard | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Top 18% in England |
St Thomas' Catholic Primary School, Canterbury Canterbury · Roman Catholic |
75% | 80% | 17% | Good | |
2 Top 49% in England |
St Peter's Methodist Primary School Canterbury · Methodist |
61% | 63% | 17% | No rating | |
3 Bottom 48% in England |
Wincheap Foundation Primary School Canterbury |
59% | 66% | 11% | No rating | |
4 Bottom 30% in England |
The Canterbury Primary School Canterbury |
56% | 51% | 3% | No rating | |
5 Bottom 18% in England |
St Stephen's Junior School Canterbury |
49% | 44% | 7% | No rating | |
6 Bottom 4% in England |
Parkside Community Foundation Primary School Canterbury |
37% | 23% | 0% | Good | |
7 Bottom 4% in England |
Pilgrims' Way Primary School Canterbury |
37% | 44% | 0% | Good | |
8 Bottom 3% in England |
St Johns Church of England Primary School Canterbury · Church of England |
33% | 38% | 7% | Good |
Other towns in Kent
- Ashford
- Broadstairs
- Chatham
- Dartford
- Deal
- Dover
- Faversham
- Folkestone
- Gillingham (Medway)
- Gravesend
- Herne Bay
- Hythe
- Kings Hill
- Larkfield
- Longfield, New Ash Green and Hartley
- Maidstone
- Margate
- Minster (Swale)
- Northfleet
- Ramsgate
- Rochester
- Royal Tunbridge Wells
- Sevenoaks
- Sheerness
- Sittingbourne
- Snodland
- Swanley
- Swanscombe
- Tonbridge
- Whitstable
Also see
Questions
What is the best primary school in Canterbury?
On exam results over the last three years, St Thomas' Catholic Primary School, Canterbury is the top-ranked primary school in Canterbury, in the top 18% of schools in England.
How are the schools ranked?
By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.