Schools by area › Kent › The Discovery School
The Discovery School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 4–11 · Community school
Discovery Drive, Kings Hill, West Malling ME19 4GJ · discovery.kent.sch.uk · 01732 847000
On the mapSearch near ME19 4GJ
Overview
- Ofsted
- Outstanding
- 2019 framework · inspected Feb 2023
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 80%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Kent 62%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 634
- 4 over 630 places · 101%
- Local authority
- Kent
- Nursery class
- No
- Free school meals
- 8.2%
- First language not English
- 5.2%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 77 families put the school first and 90 places were offered; 97% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 90 | 77 | 0.9 | 97% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 81 | 70 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 90 | 85 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 75 | 56 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 61 | 50 | 0.8 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 80% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 18% the higher standard. Across Kent it was 62%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲80% | 62% | ||
| ▲18% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▲110 | 106 | ||
| ▲108 | 105 | ||
| ▲109 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
The Discovery School was judged Outstanding at its last graded inspection, on 21 February 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Outstanding
- Inspected
- 21 Feb 2023
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Outstanding |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding |
| Personal development | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
| Early years | Outstanding |
Previously: Outstanding, graded inspection, Nov 2008
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Nov 2008Outstanding
Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years Outstanding
What parents said
86% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (202 replies, to 1 January 2024).
- Recommend
- 86%
- Replies
- 202
- 32% · 1 Jan 2024
based on the 75% who raised concerns
based on the 32% who had a child bullied
based on 34 parents (17%) with SEND