Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School, Tonbridge
Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Tonbridge, part of The Tenax Schools Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 13th-highest of the 22 schools in Tonbridge with published results, and 7,071st of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.5 first-choice applications for every place. It was 98% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Kent (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 81% of Year 6 pupils at Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 74% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Kent and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 93% in reading and 89% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 44 families put Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 130 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.5 first choices for every place. 14 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School are Leigh Academy Paddock Wood (1.9 miles, Good, 87% reading, 87% maths); Leigh Academy Horsmonden (1.9 miles, Good, 83% reading, 78% maths); Pembury School (2.8 miles, Good, 90% reading, 82% maths); and Capel Primary School (2.9 miles, Good, 66% reading, 48% maths).
Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Leigh Academy Paddock WoodLeigh Academy HorsmondenPembury SchoolCapel Primary School
The trust
Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School is one of 9 schools run by The Tenax Schools Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 61% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
12.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 3.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 26 pupils (12.4%) received SEN support and 1 (0.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Paddock Wood Rail Station, about 2.1 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is School (opposite), 50 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 3 crimes within a mile of the school, most often criminal damage and arson, vehicle crime and violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).
Suspensions and exclusions
Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from November 2013, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils embody the school's values. They consistently demonstrate humility, compassion, grace, forgiveness and integrity. For pupils, these are more than words. They are how they behave. They demonstrate strong character and a clear sense of right and wrong. Their mutual understanding of how to treat each other means they feel safe and happy at school. They rush to come through the gates in the morning and tell visitors about their pride in the school and each other.
Learning is important for all pupils. They revel in the school's language-rich approach. Their subject-specific vocabulary is a source of pride, and they speak with authority and passion about their learning. Pupils have a firm grasp of complex technical vocabulary the school intends them to learn, such as 'equatorial', 'delta' and 'topography'. They relish using this vocabulary and feel empowered and confident because of their knowledge.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The curriculum is ambitious. The school has constructed a broad and balanced curriculum that contains the precise knowledge that pupils learn. This starts in Reception and effectively builds pupils' language and understanding. The school has focused on carefully sequencing learning over time. For example, in geography, children in Reception produce simple maps of the Reception outdoor area. In key stage 1, this progresses into an understanding of basic digital imagery and maps. Pupils in key stage 2 begin to manipulate and use digital mapping and imagery with more detail.
Staff identify pupils with potential special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. Pupils with SEND are given explicit support that is carefully planned into the curriculum. Generally, the very low numbers of pupils with SEND and any other disadvantage achieve well. However, sometimes the support is less effective, and the books of pupils with SEND can reflect this.
From Ofsted's July 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its November 2013 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
12.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 93% to 81% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 89% to 74% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 85% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.5
Avg class size
29.7
Infant (KS1)
31.3
KS2
6
Total classes
3 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School.
- Newton Lang at Brenchley & Matfield PrimaryAt the school · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School is in Kent; for families living there:
Apply to Kent for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 0 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Kent is 11 (the median across 711 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School
Will you get a place at Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School? Get the admissions report
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What the report includes for Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School:
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- We hold no last distance offered figures from Kent, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School for 2017 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Kent got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
98%
Near capacity
205 pupils
210 places
5 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Tonbridge
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Tonbridge
Across Kent council
Places available
18,893
Applications
16,593
Got 1st preference
89.7%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All primary applications across Kent council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
26
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
12.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
209
Total Pupils
98
Boys
111
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
20.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,205
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,916
Per pupil
£1107k
Total funding
£33k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.8%
Overall absence
12.3%
Persistent absence
179
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School
Questions parents ask about Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School
What are SATs results like at Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School?
Of the pupils at Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 81% reached the expected standard in reading and 74% did so in maths.
What is Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School is oversubscribed, Kent allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School?
Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School?
Classes at Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School average 30.5 pupils (2025/26). 3 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School?
Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School has around 209 pupils on roll. 12% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School?
4.8% of sessions were missed at Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School in 2024/25. 12.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Newton Lang at Brenchley & Matfield Primary (registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 0 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Kent is 11 (the median across 711 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School?
Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School is at Market Heath, Brenchley, Tonbridge, Kent, TN12 7NY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)