Balfour Infant School
Pattens Lane, Rochester, ME1 2QT
Ofsted inspection
Rated across 5 areas
Inspected 15/10/2024 · Ofsted no longer gives a single grade
See the Ofsted ratingsPupils
260
Ages
5 to 7
Gender
Mixed
Age range
5 to 7
Gender
Mixed
Pupils
260
Headteacher
Mr Joseph Pomeroy
Type
Primary
Ofsted
Rated across 5 areas
Local authority
Medway
About Balfour Infant School
Balfour Infant School is a mixed primary school based in Rochester for children aged 5 to 7. It has roughly 260 pupils on roll. It is a maintained school within the Medway local authority area. The headteacher is Mr Joseph Pomeroy.
Inspection at a glance
Ofsted rated Balfour Infant School Good at its inspection on 15 October 2024. The full inspection report is linked from this page so you can read the inspectors' own words.
How the school is performing
Attendance works out at roughly 95.1% (absence 4.9%) (2024/25). Around 21.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals. Figures come from the Department for Education's published school performance data and are shown in full further down this page.
Getting a place at Balfour Infant School
You apply for a place at Balfour Infant School on the primary common application form through Medway, with the national deadline of 15 January. If the school is oversubscribed, places are allocated on its published admissions criteria, which usually give priority to looked-after children, siblings and distance from home to school. There is no separate entrance assessment. Always check the current admissions policy on the school's own website before you apply, because criteria can change year to year.
SEND at a glance
Balfour Infant School is a mainstream school, supporting pupils with SEND alongside their classmates through the graduated approach of assess, plan, do, review. The school's SEN information report is the authoritative source and is linked in the SEND section below.
Balfour Infant School contact details and location
Balfour Infant School is at Pattens Lane, Rochester, Kent, ME1 2QT. The school office can be reached on 01634 338280. A map, directions and the school's own website link are on this page.
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted did not give a single overall grade at this inspection (its policy from September 2024).
Quality of Education
How well pupils are taught and what they learn
Behaviour and Attitudes
How pupils behave and their attitude to learning
Personal Development
Support for pupils' wider growth and wellbeing
Leadership and Management
How well the school is run
Early Years
Quality of nursery and Reception
Based on the Ofsted inspection of 15/10/2024.
Balfour Infant School admissions and catchment area
No entrance test - you apply on the common application form
Balfour Infant School does not run its own entrance test. Places are allocated by Medway Council using published oversubscription criteria. Oversubscription criteria usually cover looked-after children, siblings, distance from the school, and (for faith schools) faith criteria.
Dates and criteria change each year - always confirm with the school and Medway Council. Medway school admissions →
How to apply
1. Apply on the common application form (autumn term before Reception)
Complete the Primary Common Application Form on the Medway Council website by mid-January - for September 2026 entry the window ran from Friday 7 November 2025 to Thursday 15 January 2026, and offers were emailed on Thursday 16 April 2026.
2. National Offer Day (mid-April)
You'll be told your allocated school by email - for 2026 entry KCC emailed offers on Thursday 16 April 2026 after 4pm, with offers visible online from 5pm.
3. Accept and, if needed, appeal
Accept your place by the given date. If you didn't get your preferred school, you have the right to appeal.
4. In-year admissions
Moving mid-year? Apply directly through Medway Council's in-year admissions team, or in some cases direct to the school.
Didn't get a place? You can appeal
If Balfour Infant School is not offered on National Offer Day, you can appeal the decision. The appeal is heard by an independent panel and is free to submit.
How to appeal a school offerBalfour Infant School results and attendance
KS2 results
N/A
A-Level results
N/A
Attendance
Free school meals
SEND support at Balfour Infant School
SEND setting
Mainstream school
For full details, visit the school's SEND information page.
Wraparound care and nursery at Balfour Infant School
Nursery
No
Breakfast club
Please check with the school
After-school club
Please check with the school
Balfour Infant School term dates: Medway standard term dates for 2026/27
These are Medway Council's standard term dates. Your school may use different dates and INSET days, so check the school's website before making plans.
Autumn 1 · 2026
1 Sep-23 Oct
Autumn 2 · 2026
2 Nov-18 Dec
Spring 1 · 2027
4 Jan-12 Feb
Spring 2 · 2027
22 Feb-25 Mar
Summer 1 · 2027
12 Apr-28 May
Summer 2 · 2027
7 Jun-21 Jul
Balfour Infant School: frequently asked questions
How do I apply for a place at Balfour Infant School?
Apply through Medway on the primary common application form by 15 January, naming Balfour Infant School as one of your preferences. Offers are made in April.
What is Balfour Infant School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Balfour Infant School Good at its inspection on 15 October 2024. You can open the full report from the inspection section of this page.
What SEND support does Balfour Infant School offer?
Balfour Infant School is recorded as a mainstream school. The school's SEN information report has the current detail and is linked in the SEND section of this page.
What are Balfour Infant School's term dates and INSET days?
Balfour Infant School follows the standard Medway pattern for 2026/27, set out term by term on this page. INSET days are set by the school itself, so confirm them on the school's own calendar.
Where is Balfour Infant School and how do I contact the school?
Balfour Infant School is at Pattens Lane, Rochester, Kent, ME1 2QT. The office number is 01634 338280. A map and directions are on this page.
How big is Balfour Infant School and what ages does it take?
Balfour Infant School has around 260 pupils on roll and covers ages 5 to 7. It is a mixed school taking boys and girls.
About this information. Compiled from published sources including the Department for Education, Ofsted and the school's own website. Last reviewed Summer 2026.
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Get my profile builtSchools near Balfour Infant School
The closest schools to ME1 2QT, measured from each school's own location.
Chatham · Primary · 0.2 miles
Balfour Junior Academy
Rochester · Primary · 0.3 miles
Crest Infant and Nursery School
Rochester · Primary · 0.4 miles
Delce Academy
Rochester · Primary · 0.6 miles
Warren Wood Primary Academy
Rochester · Primary · 0.6 miles
St Peter's Infant School
Chatham · Primary · 0.6 miles
St John's CofE Infant School
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