Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School
Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School is a voluntary aided school in Sittingbourne for pupils aged 4 to 11. It has a Church of England religious character. It has 417 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School is Outstanding, from an inspection in July 2023. In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Places are in short supply, with 30 of the 90 families who named it as their first choice for a Reception place in September 2026 missing out.
Ofsted inspection: July 2023. KS2 results: 2025.
| Type | Primary / Voluntary aided school |
| Age Range | 4-11 |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | Tunstall Road Sittingbourne Kent ME10 1YG |
| Phone | 01795472895 |
| Reference Number | 118735 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 417 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 49.4%
Girls: 50.6% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 6% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 8.4% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 29.5 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 30 |
| Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher | 29.3 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 | 31 | 60 |
| 2 | 29 | 32 | 61 |
| 3 | 34 | 28 | 62 |
| 4 | 30 | 29 | 59 |
| 5 | 26 | 33 | 59 |
| 6 | 26 | 30 | 56 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 78.9% |
| African | 10.3% |
| Mixed, Other | 2.6% |
| White, Other | 1.9% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 1.4% |
| White & Asian | 1.2% |
| White & Black (African) | 1% |
| Caribbean | 0.7% |
| Indian | 0.5% |
| Asian, Other | 0.2% |
Tunstall Church of England Primary School is performing exceptionally well, achieving an overall effectiveness rating of outstanding. The school is characterized by its strong values of friendship, kindness, and service which are ingrained in the pupils' daily experiences. Staff maintain high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), ensuring that a supportive and inclusive learning environment is fostered. The curriculum is thoughtfully designed to promote deep understanding and retention of knowledge, and pupils demonstrate a passion for learning and reading.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Outstanding |
| > Quality of education | Outstanding |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Outstanding |
| > Personal Development | Outstanding |
| > Leadership & Management | Outstanding |
| > Early Years Provision | Outstanding |
| Last Report Date | 23 May 2023 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 23 May 2023 | School inspection: |
| 10 May 2022 | School inspection |
| 03 Mar 2016 | Full inspection: |
| 28 Mar 2014 | Interim assessment |
| 13 Jul 2011 | Full inspection: |
| 04 Dec 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 09 Jun 2003 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Exceptional quality of education and teaching
- Strong values celebrated throughout the school
- High expectations and aspirational goals for all students
- Effective support for pupils with additional needs
- Pupils exhibit strong engagement and curiosity in lessons
- Outcomes in end-of-key-stage assessments are exceptionally high
- Excellent reading support as part of an effective literacy program
- Warm and supportive relationships between staff and pupils
- Strong community involvement and pupil leadership opportunities
How many students meet the standards
| Reading, Writing & Maths | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 69% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Pupils meeting a higher standard | 10% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
Average Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
| Subject | School | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 107 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Maths | 106 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
Progress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | -0.6 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Writing | -2.4 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Maths | -2.6 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
How many students meet the standards
Sample
UnlockAverage Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
Sample
UnlockProgress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
Sample
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See how Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School ranks locally and nationally. Percentile rankings against every other school, historic result charts, admissions data and post-GCSE destinations are all included.
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Unlock for £9.99Reception admissions, 2026 entry
Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment
| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Second Preference | 64 | 0 |
| Third Preference | 29 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 1 | 1 |
Previous years
Sample
UnlockPlaces and pupil numbers
In 2024–25 Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School had 419 pupils for 420 places. 1 places (0.2%) were unfilled.
Pupils and places
Reception intake in the “Primary - Sittingbourne South” planning area
Kent counted 272 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 285 in 2029–30, up 5%.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Places | 201 | 201 | 201 | 201 | 201 | 201 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 |
| Pupils | 207 | 209 | 205 | 210 | 210 | 209 | 229 | 266 | 301 | 328 | 389 | 420 | 421 | 420 | 419 |
| Unfilled | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 45.5% | 36.7% | 28.3% | 21.9% | 7.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% |
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 Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School attended 96.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.8% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 2.2% | 1.8% | 2.1% | 1.8% | 2.3% | 2.4% | 1.6% | 3.8% | 3.6% | 3.1% | 2.9% |
| Unauthorised absence | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.7% | 0.5% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Severely absent pupils | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.7% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
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, 0.7% of pupils at Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 1.2 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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 Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School had 20.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 6.1% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 14.8 | 13.5 | 14.1 | 14.3 | 14.4 | 12.3 | 12.7 | 12.3 | 12.1 | 11.1 | 10.6 | 10.4 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 10.2 | 11.0 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 9.1% | 0.0% | 7.9% | 20.0% | 10.7% | 7.4% | 9.5% | 21.5% | 5.5% | 1.0% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 23.1% | 23.1% | 25.0% | 41.7% | 16.7% | 30.8% | 28.6% | 25.0% | 52.6% | – | 18.2% | 68.0% | 46.4% | 56.0% | 45.5% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 1.0 | 3.6 | 0.3 | 3.8 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 11.6 | – | 2.0 | 4.2 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 1.1 | – |
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, 5.5% of pupils at Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.0% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).
Pupils by main type of need
| SEN support | EHC plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 4 | 2 |
| Speech, language and communication needs | 5 | 1 |
| Other difficulty or disability | 5 | 0 |
| Social, emotional and mental health | 4 | 0 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 3 | 0 |
| Physical disability | 1 | 0 |
| Severe learning difficulty | 0 | 1 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 1 | 0 |
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 Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School received £6,090 and spent £5,992 for each of its 417 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £137,000 (£328 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £67,000 | £124,000 | £229,000 | £141,000 | £173,000 | £130,000 | £96,000 | £137,000 |
| per pupil | £203 | £346 | £593 | £336 | £410 | £309 | £229 | £328 |
| In-year balance | -£5,000 | £57,000 | £105,000 | -£88,000 | £32,000 | -£43,000 | -£34,000 | £41,000 |
| per pupil | -£16 | £159 | £272 | -£211 | £77 | -£102 | -£81 | £98 |
Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).
| Name | Distance |
|
The Oaks Infant School
Gore Court Road, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 1GL |
0.56 miles |
|
Minterne Junior School
Minterne Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 1SB |
0.59 miles |
|
St Peter's Catholic Primary School
West Ridge, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 1UJ |
0.67 miles |
|
Westlands Primary School
Homewood Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 1XN |
0.95 miles |
|
Rodmersham School
Rodmersham Green, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 0PS |
1.08 miles |
|
South Avenue Primary School
South Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 4SU |
1.13 miles |
|
Canterbury Road Primary School
School Road, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 4SE |
1.36 miles |
|
Bredgar Church of England Primary School
Bexon Lane, Bredgar, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 8HB |
1.55 miles |
|
Borden Church of England Primary School
School Lane, Borden, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 8JS |
1.64 miles |
|
Lansdowne Primary School
Gladstone Drive, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 3BH |
1.76 miles |
|
Aspire School
Vellum Drive, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 5DA |
1.78 miles |
|
Sunny Bank Primary School
Sunny Bank, Murston, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 3QN |
1.83 miles |
|
Grove Park Primary School
Hilton Drive, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 1PT |
1.83 miles |
|
Milton Court Primary Academy
Brewery Road, Milton Regis, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 2EE |
1.88 miles |
|
Bapchild and Tonge Church of England Primary School and Nursery
School Lane, Bapchild, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 9NL |
1.9 miles |
|
Regis Manor Primary School
North Street, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 2HW |
2.05 miles |
|
Bobbing Village School
Sheppey Way, Bobbing, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 8PL |
2.11 miles |
|
Milstead and Frinsted Church of England Primary School
School Lane, Milstead, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 0SJ |
2.38 miles |
|
Kemsley Primary Academy
Coldharbour Lane, Kemsley, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 2RP |
2.77 miles |
|
Lynsted and Norton Primary School
Lynsted Lane, Lynsted, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 0RL |
2.82 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
ALP Sittingbourne
60, Bell, Road, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 4HE |
0.63 miles |
|
Fulston Manor School
Brenchley Road, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 4EG |
0.78 miles |
|
Highsted Grammar School
Highsted Road, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 4PT |
0.84 miles |
|
Borden Grammar School
Avenue of Remembrance, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 4DB |
0.99 miles |
|
VTC Independent School
Unit 2, Centre 2000, St Michael's Road, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 3DZ |
1.38 miles |
|
Westlands School
Westlands Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 1PF |
1.39 miles |
|
Meadowfield School
Swanstree Avenue, Meadowfield School, Swanstree Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 4NL |
1.47 miles |
|
The Sittingbourne School
Swanstree Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 4NL |
1.48 miles |
|
Yew Tree Farm School
Swanton Street, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 8AT |
2.53 miles |
|
Infiniti School
The Street, Doddington, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 0BG |
3.63 miles |
|
ISP School
Castlewood Farm, Conyer Road, Teynham, Kent, Kent, ME9 9EA |
3.8 miles |
All schools in Sittingbourne · Kent local authority: places and applications
What is Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School is Outstanding, from an inspection in July 2023.
When was Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?
Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School was last inspected in July 2023.
How many pupils does Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School have?
Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School has 417 pupils on roll.
What age range does Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School cover?
Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.
What are Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?
In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
Where is Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School?
Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School is at Tunstall Road, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 1YG.