Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School continues to be recognized as a good school, reflecting a strong cultural foundation where pupils feel happy, safe, and well cared for. The school features a curriculum that is carefully designed to meet the diverse needs and interests of its pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The approach fostered by the school leadership encourages a positive learning environment where strong relationships between staff and pupils are formed. However, there is a notable need for improvement regarding how teachers assess students’ retention of knowledge, particularly beyond English and mathematics, which can impact pupils' success in other subjects.

Strengths

• Pupils feel happy, safe, and well cared for in the school.
• There is a strong culture of care with supportive 'buddy' systems.
• The curriculum is ambitious and matches pupils' needs and interests.
• Teachers have strong subject knowledge and provide valuable support.
• Pupils behave well and enjoy learning across a range of subjects.
• The school has effective interventions for pupils with SEND.
• There are rich opportunities for extra-curricular activities that enhance pupils' experiences.

Areas for Improvement

• Assessment of pupils' retention of knowledge is less refined in some subjects.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School attended 96.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School had 18.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.6% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 6.0% of pupils at Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School received £6,662 and spent £6,605 for each of its 200 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £70,000 (£352 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

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• Secondary Schools

All schools in Tunbridge Wells · Kent local authority: places and applications

What is Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is Good, from an inspection in January 2023.

When was Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School was last inspected in January 2023.

How many pupils does Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School have?

Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School has 200 pupils on roll.

What age range does Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School cover?

Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 79% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School?

Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is at Spring Lane, Bidborough, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN3 0UE.