Lift St James the Great vs The Discovery School
A head-to-head comparison of two primary schools in South East, England, 2.6 km apart, using official English 2025 data. The better value in each row is highlighted.
Lift St James the Great
East Malling · Academy primary · Ages 3–11
176 students
The Discovery School
West Malling · Local authority primary · Ages 4–11
634 students
| Measure | Lift St James the Great East Malling, South East | The Discovery School West Malling, South East |
|---|---|---|
| Success Index (England) | 64 Top 50% | 88 Top 10% |
| Region rank | #903 of 2,471 | #224 of 2,471 |
| National rank | #5002 of 15,697 | #1061 of 15,697 |
| Sector | Academy | Local authority |
| Type | Primary | Primary |
| Year range | Ages 3–11 | Ages 4–11 |
| Students | 176 | 634 |
| Pupils on roll | 176 | 634 |
| Free school meals | 55.1% | 8.2% |
| Capacity filled | 83.8% | 100.6% |
| KS2 expected standard (RWM) | 79% | 80% |
| KS2 higher standard (RWM) | 11% | 18% |
| KS2 reading progress | – | – |
| KS2 writing progress | – | – |
| KS2 maths progress | – | – |
| Attainment 8 | – | – |
| Progress 8 | – | – |
| Grade 5+ English & maths | – | – |
| Grade 4+ English & maths | – | – |
| EBacc average points | – | – |
| A level points per entry | – | – |
| town | East Malling | West Malling |
| region | South East | South East |
| Website | www.stjamesthegreatacademy.org/ | www.discovery.kent.sch.uk |
The verdict
- •The Discovery School scores higher on the Success Index (England) (87.9 vs 64.2).
- •The Discovery School does better on ks2: reading, writing & maths expected standard (80% vs 79%).
- •The Discovery School does better on ks2: higher standard (18% vs 11%).
- •The Discovery School is the larger school with 634 students compared with 176.
- •Lift St James the Great is a academy school while The Discovery School is a local authority school, so fees and admission rules differ.
The Success Index (England) summarises published results and context from official data. It does not measure teaching quality or fit. Methodology.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Lift St James the Great better than The Discovery School?
On the Success Index (England), The Discovery School ranks higher (87.9 vs 64.2 out of 100). The index is built from published results and context data, not from teaching quality or fit, so visit both schools before deciding.
How far apart are Lift St James the Great and The Discovery School?
About 2.6 km in a straight line, between East Malling and West Malling in South East.
Which has the better Pupils on roll?
Lift St James the Great: 176. The Discovery School: 634. Number of pupils in the latest school census.
How do Lift St James the Great and The Discovery School rank in South East?
Lift St James the Great is 903rd of 2,471 and The Discovery School is 224th of 2,471 among primary schools in South East on the 2025 Success Index (England).