Top five primary schools in Sevenoaks – do you agree?

League tables are a controversial way to measure the quality of a school. When the benefits and challenges of school life spread far beyond the marks received in set tests on set dates, many parents find that using tables to judge whether a school is right for their child tells only half the story.

How good at tackling and preventing bullying, how adept at integrating and supporting children with special needs, how healthy the school lunches and fitness provisions are all missing in the bald numbers, but when numbers are all you have to make an initial judgement, sometimes league tables are the only option on the table.

So according to the 2009 league tables, the following five schools are the best in the area based on the aggregate score for the school.

What does the aggregate score mean?

The aggregate score is a number out of 300, which is reached by calculating the number of pupils achieving at least the expected level for their age group, divided by the number taking the test. This is done for each subject, added together and then multiplied by 100. The closer to 300, the better.

1. Lady Boswell's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Sevenoaks

The C of E school in Plymouth Drive achieved an aggregate score of 296 out of 300, ranking it sixth across the whole county. With 100% of pupils achieving the expected level in both English and Science and 96% achieving the expected level in Maths, the school has an incredibly good academic record.

The Ofsted report for 2008 (the most recent available) agrees that the mixed gender school is 'outstanding', with the lead inspector praising the staff and set-up:

“The headteacher, leadership team and governors have together ensured that pupils benefit from an exceptionally rich curriculum, within an attractive and very well-resourced site, where talented and enthusiastic youngsters are helped to excel in music, sports and other activities, as well as in more academic subjects. The number and range of after-school and lunchtime clubs are impressive, with almost every pupil taking part in at least one.”

2. St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Seal Chart, Sevenoaks 

The Church of England village school in Seal Chart near Sevenoaks scored 291 out of 300, with 100% of pupils achieving the expected level in Science and Maths and 91% hitting the expected level in English, this small school (only 11 pupils took the tests, with only 72 children attending the whole school) scored big.

The Ofsted report for 2007 (the most recent available) rated the school ‘good’ and praised the great support given to pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities. The school was given an outstanding rating for their commitment to Personal development and well-being.

3. Kemsing Primary School

The pretty, sprawling village of Kemsing boasts the third highest ranked primary school in the Sevenoaks area, achieving an aggregate score of 290.

Subject by subject, 100% of pupils achieved the expected level in English, with 93% and 97% in Maths and Science respectively.

A reasonably large school, 30 pupils were eligible for the tests. The most recent Ofsted report, in 2009, concluded that the school was ‘good’ but with some room for improvement, however the report also highlighted that the “proportion with special educational needs and/or disabilities is greater than that usually found in primary schools.”

4. St Thomas' Catholic Primary School, Sevenoaks

This Catholic school in the heart of the town, within a stone’s throw of Knole Park but serves Catholic families from further afield including Edenbridge. It is voluntary aided and has a strong emphasis on religion.

The school mission statement even says, “Our school is a child and family orientated community, centred around Jesus Christ”.

Unsurprisingly, the vast majority of pupils are from Catholic families.

The school achieved 289 out of 300, with 100% of pupils hitting the desired level for Science and 94% in both English and Maths.

The most recent Ofsted report (2009) found the school was ‘good’ overall.

5. Ightham Primary School

The pretty village of Ightham has a mixed primary school that scored 288 out of 300 in the aggregate score. All pupils (100%) achieved the desired level in Science and English, with the 88% score in Maths bringing down the total.

A relatively small school, only 17 pupils were eligible for inclusion in the league table. The most recent Ofsted report took place in 2009 and found the primary school to be ‘good’ overall. The report also highlighted the quality of pastoral care, and an ‘outstanding’ provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage (up to five-years-old).

To see the full primary school league table for the Sevenoaks area, check out our Schools pages.

Do you agree with this top five? Which ratings matter more to you as a parent or guardian, the league tables for academic achievement, or the ‘whole school’ Ofsted report? Or perhaps nothing beats a personal recommendation? Which schools in the area would you vote up as the best?