Finberry Primary School Review 2026: A tech-forward Kent primary with strong KS2 outcomes and an integrated nursery

Finberry Primary School is a modern, growing primary in Finberry Village, Ashford, serving children from age 2 through to Year 6. It opened in September 2015 and moved to its current site in September 2017, so the feel is contemporary rather than Victorian, with space designed around early years, mainstream classes, and additional needs support.

A defining feature is its intentional use of technology. The school describes itself as a Microsoft Showcase School for 2025 to 2026, and it sets out a model where devices and digital tools are normal parts of learning rather than occasional add-ons.

The school is oversubscribed on the latest available admissions data with 111 applications for 51 offers for the Reception entry route, which points to competition even before you factor in local housing patterns and year-on-year variation. For families who value wraparound, the published offer is unusually comprehensive, including breakfast club, after-school club, and nursery wraparound options.

The school’s identity is closely tied to the Stour Academy Trust, and to a set of values that are explicitly named in external documentation: perseverance, respect, opportunity, unity, and diversity. That matters because these are not abstract poster words. They are presented as part of the everyday language pupils are expected to use, including how pupils concentrate, behave, and discuss sensitive topics.

Leadership is structured. The school website lists an Executive Headteacher, Ms H Evemy, and a Head of School, Mrs S Martin. Government records list the Headteacher as Sarah Martin. If you are choosing based on leadership, it is worth reading that as a system where responsibility is shared across school and trust, rather than a single figure doing everything.

Early years provision is a meaningful part of the setting rather than a bolt-on. The nursery (Early Birds) is described as on-site and term-time, and the school emphasises routine and continuity through five-day attendance patterns, with optional wraparound that extends the day for working families.

Inclusion is also positioned as mainstream, not peripheral. The school runs a specialist resource provision linked to autism, and it frames this as support that helps pupils participate in mainstream classes and wider school life, including clubs.

Finberry’s Key Stage 2 outcomes are strong on this dataset. In 2024, 82.33% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At higher standard, 31.33% achieved the higher threshold in reading, writing and maths, compared with an England average of 8%. Reading and maths scaled scores are both 107 and 108 respectively, with grammar, punctuation and spelling at 107, which is an across-the-board picture of secure attainment rather than a single stand-out subject carrying the rest.

On FindMySchool’s proprietary ranking (based on official performance data), Finberry ranks 2,960th in England for primary outcomes and 9th locally in Ashford, placing it above England average and comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England.

The implication for families is fairly direct. If you want a primary where academic fundamentals appear well embedded, especially for reading, maths and writing, the published outcomes support that expectation. It also suggests that, for many pupils, the school is not just getting children over the line, it is stretching a meaningful proportion into higher standard outcomes.

The most distinctive published element of the school’s teaching approach is its “purposeful integration of technology”. The school sets out a model where, from Year 3, each child receives an iPad and iPad pen that stays with them until they leave for secondary school. It also describes specific tools and formats, including green screen work, QR codes, audio and video recording, 3D world builders, and the use of Minecraft to demonstrate learning.

This matters because it changes what homework, presentation, and independent research can look like. If your child responds well to producing, explaining, recording, and iterating, that approach can suit them. If you prefer a more traditional presentation-first model, you will want to understand how exercise books, handwriting, and screen time are balanced across the week.

Computing is not presented as an isolated “ICT slot”. In everyday classroom life, the school’s own news posts show pupils using Micro:bits for coding tasks, which is a useful indicator that computing includes physical devices and problem-solving, not just app navigation.

In early years, the school describes an environment that prioritises play and exploration, with a particular focus on the outdoor space. The practical implication is that children who learn best through movement, role-play, and hands-on activity are likely to find the early years offer aligned with their needs, while families seeking a very formal “Reception as Year 1” tone may see the school as more developmentally paced.

As a Kent primary, transition conversations often split into two tracks: local non-selective secondary transfer, and grammar assessment via the Kent Test. The school’s own calendar materials reference the Kent Test for applicable Year 6 pupils, which signals that the grammar route is part of the Year 6 landscape for at least some families.

For many children, the practical work of transition is not about exam routes but about confidence and routine. The school’s published SEND information explains that it arranges visits to new secondary placements for Year 6 pupils, with individualised planning for pupils who need a more supported move.

For pupils supported through the specialist resource provision, the stated aim is gradual integration into mainstream classroom time, alongside skills such as self-regulation and emotional understanding. That kind of focus can be helpful at secondary transfer, where timetable changes, larger sites, and busier corridors can be the hardest part of the move.

Reception admissions are coordinated through Kent County Council rather than handled directly by the school. The published Kent timeline for children starting in September 2026 was: applications opened on 7 November 2025 and closed on 15 January 2026, with National Offer Day on 16 April 2026.

Demand, on the latest available data is higher than capacity. Finberry is marked as oversubscribed for the primary entry route, with a subscription proportion of 2.18, which is a little over two applications per place. That has two implications. First, you should treat distance and priority criteria as decisive, even though the precise last offered distance is not available. Second, it makes sense to shortlist realistically: compare local options side-by-side using the FindMySchool Comparison Tool, then check your likely position using FindMySchool Map Search for distance context.

Nursery entry is separate from Reception entry. The school’s nursery information sets expectations around consistent weekly attendance and routine, and it highlights funded hours for eligible families. For early years pricing and session structures, use the nursery’s official page, and confirm the pattern that will apply to your child’s age and entitlement.

A final practical point: attendance at the nursery is not presented as a route that changes oversubscription priorities for Reception places, which is consistent with how many local authority coordinated processes work.

Pupils’ wellbeing is positioned as closely tied to culture and routine. The school’s published materials talk about pupils behaving well, being kind to each other, and feeling safe, which is the foundation that makes academic ambition sustainable in a primary setting.

Inclusion is multi-layered. Beyond mainstream classroom adaptations, the specialist resource provision is framed around teaching self-regulation, emotional literacy, and executive functioning skills so that pupils can spend increasing time learning alongside their peers. The detail here is reassuringly concrete: emotion scales, regular emotional check-ins, visual supports, social stories, and a flexible reintegration approach depending on how a child’s day is going.

For families of pupils with additional needs, it is also helpful that the school publishes transition planning intentions, including, where needed, more intensive support around secondary transfer.

Finberry presents enrichment as a core part of the offer, including before and after-school provision and termly clubs. The difference is in the specifics that appear in the school’s own updates.

One clear strand is performing arts and collective experiences. The school references participation in Young Voices, which is a large-scale singing project and concert experience, and it also refers to a Rock Steady concert, indicating structured music-making that goes beyond “choir once a week” into rehearsed performance. For children who gain confidence through stage moments and teamwork, that can be a meaningful part of school identity.

A second strand is STEM learning with tangible tools. Micro:bit coding activity shows up in classroom updates, which suggests that computing includes creative making and iterative problem-solving, not just typing or basic app use.

Sport and physical development are present in routine ways too. The school’s own materials reference swimming starting for Year 3 in its term key dates, and its wider published information includes swimming and water safety measures for Year 6 cohorts. The practical implication is that physical education includes planned progression and not just ad hoc activities.

The compulsory school day is published as 8:45am to 3:15pm, with the school day schedule set out in detail, including lesson blocks, breaks, and lunch. For wraparound, the school publishes opening hours that extend from 7:30am to 6:00pm on weekdays, alongside breakfast club and after-school club.

Breakfast club runs 7:30am to 8:30am, and after-school club runs 3:15pm to 6:00pm on term-time days, with booking managed via the school’s usual parent systems. Nursery wraparound is also described, with an extended day available for families who need it, but confirm current arrangements directly with the school because nursery patterns can vary by age and entitlement.

The setting is in Finberry, Ashford. For day-to-day logistics, most families will approach travel on foot, by car, or via local bus routes, but you should sense-check timings at the times you will actually travel, especially if you are planning around wraparound collection.

• Competition for places. The school is oversubscribed on the latest available admissions data so admission depends on criteria and priority order, not just preference. Use FindMySchool Map Search to sanity-check distance context before making housing decisions.

• A deliberately digital learning model. Devices and digital production are presented as normal from Year 3, including iPads and tools like green screen and Minecraft. This suits many children, but families should understand how screen time is managed and how handwriting and presentation are developed alongside it.

• Nursery is integrated, but it is not a guaranteed route into Reception. Nursery provision is on-site and structured, but Reception places follow the coordinated admissions process. Treat nursery and Reception as related, not automatic.

• Specialist support is real and structured. The specialist resource provision focuses on self-regulation and reintegration into mainstream learning, which can be ideal for some pupils. It is still worth checking fit carefully, because eligibility and support models are specific.

Finberry Primary School suits families who want a modern primary with strong Key Stage 2 outcomes, an integrated nursery, and a learning model that takes technology seriously as part of everyday teaching. It is also a credible option for families who value structured inclusion, given the published detail around autism-friendly practice and specialist support.

Who it suits: children who respond well to interactive learning, clear routines, and a school culture that pairs high expectations with practical support, plus families who will use wraparound provision regularly. The main challenge is admission, so shortlisting should be realistic and evidence-led.