St Paul’s CofE Primary School, Kingston Hill Review 2026: High-achieving Church school with a clear reading focus

“Sailing to success” is the school’s stated ambition, and the performance data suggests it is not just a slogan. In 2024, 85% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of Key Stage 2, well above the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 32.67% reached greater depth, compared with 8% across England.

This is a Church of England primary in Kingston Hill (ages 4 to 11) with a two-form entry Reception intake and a published planned admission number of 60. Demand is high, and the most recently reported Reception entry route shows 140 applications for 15 offers. With wraparound care from 7:30am to 6:00pm and a timetable of clubs running across the week, it suits families who want strong outcomes alongside a structured, full day.

The tone is warm and purposeful, with a strong emphasis on belonging and community. Staff are positioned as knowing pupils and families well, and the school puts language around kindness and inclusion in regular use. Pupils are expected to be considerate and articulate, and leadership roles are part of everyday life rather than a once-a-year badge. Year 6 playground leaders support younger pupils, and a school council is elected so pupils experience democratic processes in a practical way.

The Church of England character is explicit and woven through daily rhythms and school identity. The headteacher’s welcome places Christian values at the centre of school life, alongside a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. For families who want a faith-informed ethos without it feeling narrow, the public-facing messaging here is clear: pupils come from many backgrounds, and the school aims to be a place where every family can feel they belong.

Leadership is currently under Headteacher Samantha Stephenson, named on the school’s own contact information and staff pages. (The school does not publicly state a start date on these pages, so it is best treated as current leadership rather than tied to a specific appointment month.)

The headline story is Key Stage 2 attainment that sits comfortably above England averages.

• Reading, writing and maths expected standard (2024): 85%, versus 62% across England.

• Higher standard (greater depth in reading, writing and maths, 2024): 32.67%, versus 8% across England.

• Reading expected standard (2024): 91%

• Maths expected standard (2024): 84%

• Science expected standard (2024): 98%

• Scaled scores (2024): Reading 108, Maths 107, GPS 108

Ranking context (FindMySchool proprietary rankings based on official data):

• Ranked 2,295th in England and 7th in Kingston upon Thames for primary outcomes, placing it above England average and comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England.

Parents comparing nearby primaries can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool to view these results side-by-side, especially useful in boroughs where several schools are high-performing.

What this tends to mean in practice is that pupils who engage consistently in reading and maths can expect strong preparation for secondary school entry, including the more demanding reading comprehension and multi-step maths expected in Year 7.

Reading is treated as a core driver of progress. Early reading is systematically taught, staff are trained to teach phonics confidently, and pupils who need extra support receive it quickly. Once pupils are reading fluently, the culture shifts towards reading for pleasure and breadth, including regular shared reading and visits from authors.

Beyond English, curriculum thinking is visible rather than improvised. Subject sequencing is designed so pupils build knowledge over time, with clear examples of how early years learning is later used in Key Stage 2 content. The best delivery features lively discussion, tight checks for understanding, and prompt correction of misconceptions. SEND adaptations are described as effective, so pupils with additional needs are still able to access the full curriculum.

The most consistent development priorities are about consistency across the wider curriculum: in a small number of subjects, end points are not defined sharply enough, and some teaching can overload pupils with too much information at once. For families, the practical implication is that the core subjects look very strong, while foundation-subject quality is likely to vary by subject and class unless leaders tighten those curriculum end points and lesson pacing.

As a Kingston upon Thames primary, pupils typically progress into a range of local secondary schools, with choices shaped by family preference, travel, and (for some) selective testing routes. Transition support includes work on resilience, friendships, and moving on to secondary school, with targeted groups available for pupils who benefit from additional preparation.

For parents thinking ahead, the practical step is to start secondary research early in Year 5, then use Year 6 to build independence skills and routines that match the expectations of a larger setting. When families are considering selective options, it is also worth balancing preparation time with maintaining enjoyment of reading and wider learning, because the primary’s strongest asset is strong all-round attainment rather than narrow test coaching.

Reception entry is coordinated through the local authority route, with a published planned admission number of 60 (two classes). The school’s published criteria prioritise, in order, looked-after children, exceptional medical or social need, siblings, then proximity.

Competition is a real factor. The most recently reported Reception entry route shows 140 applications for 15 offers, which signals that families should treat admission as highly uncertain unless they meet higher-priority criteria. A sensible approach is to include a realistic spread of preferences in the local authority application, including at least one option where distance or priority category makes an offer more likely.

Key borough dates for September 2026 entry are clearly set out in Kingston’s primary admissions guide:

• Applications open: 01 September 2025

• On-time deadline: 15 January 2026

• National Offer Day: 16 April 2026

• Accept or decline deadline: 30 April 2026

Parents should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their precise home-to-school distance and scenario-plan, especially because high demand means small distance changes can matter in practice when places are allocated by proximity after higher-priority groups.

Open events and tours are promoted by the school, with historic tour dates clustered in the autumn term. Rather than relying on old dates, assume a similar seasonal pattern (typically late September through December) and check the school’s current tour booking information.

Safeguarding is treated as a core operational priority, with a clear safeguarding structure listed publicly, including named safeguarding leads and a nominated safeguarding governor. The most recent Ofsted inspection, carried out on 15 and 16 May 2024 and published on 25 June 2024, confirmed that the school continues to be Good.

Support is not limited to statutory safeguarding. Mental health and wellbeing work includes structured support through the local Mental Health Support Team offer, including parent webinars and small-group work for issues such as resilience, friendships, and transition to secondary school.

The second key inspection-linked reassurance is that the report also confirmed safeguarding arrangements are effective. For parents, that matters because it suggests strong baseline systems, consistent training, and appropriate follow-through when concerns are raised.

Clubs and enrichment appear as a genuine layer of provision rather than a token list. There is a published timetable of extra-curricular clubs across Reception to Year 6, with examples including multi-sports, football, Zumba, ballet, and art. Languages feature too, with Spanish and French clubs running across year groups.

Music and performance have visible prominence. A dedicated Sing Club is referenced as a weekly activity for older year groups, with an expectation that pupils will rehearse and perform at school events over the year.

Enrichment also connects to the curriculum. Eco-captains meet to take practical action and lead awareness work, including assemblies on environmental themes and structured tasks around waste and recycling. Educational visits make use of the school’s wider London context, with museums and galleries referenced as part of the experience pupils can access.

The school day has clear timings. Pupils enter classrooms from 8:50am; Reception finishes at 3:25pm, and Key Stages 1 and 2 finish at 3:30pm.

Wraparound care is available through The Hive, with breakfast club running 7:30am to 8:45am and after-school care 3:30pm to 6:00pm. Published session costs are £7 for breakfast club and £15 for after-school club.

Transport-wise, Kingston Hill is well served by local road routes and bus links into Kingston upon Thames and surrounding areas. For day-to-day planning, the key practical question is how manageable drop-off and pick-up will be at peak times, particularly for families relying on public transport or tight work schedules.

• Admission pressure. Demand is high, with 140 applications for 15 offers in the most recently reported Reception entry route. Families should plan preferences carefully and keep realistic back-up options.

• Curriculum consistency beyond the core. Reading and maths look like a clear strength; the school is still tightening clarity of learning end points in a small number of other subjects, and lesson pacing can sometimes overload pupils.

• Wraparound costs. Wraparound care is available and well defined, but it comes with per-session costs that can add up across a full week.

St Paul’s CofE Primary School, Kingston Hill combines a clearly articulated Christian ethos with performance data that suggests strong academic standards, especially in reading and end-of-primary outcomes. It is best suited to families who value a faith-informed culture, want high attainment, and will make full use of wraparound care and clubs to build a steady weekly routine. The main constraint is admission competitiveness rather than the quality of what happens once a place is secured.