Fordcombe Church of England Primary School, Tunbridge Wells
Fordcombe Church of England Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Tunbridge Wells, 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 February 2016. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2022 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 18th-highest of the 23 schools in Tunbridge Wells with published results, and 9,159th of 14,452 across England. It was 58% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2016)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
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
Fordcombe Church of England Primary School in detail
Fordcombe Church of England Primary School in its own words
The school runs after-school care.
Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils at Fordcombe Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 69% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Kent and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 67% in reading and 33% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Fordcombe Church of England Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 4 families put Fordcombe Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 27 named it as one of their preferences, for 4 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Fordcombe Church of England Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Fordcombe Church of England Primary School are Langton Green Primary School (1.2 miles, Good, 95% reading, 92% maths); Speldhurst Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (1.8 miles, Outstanding, 100% reading, 90% maths); Rusthall St Paul's CofE Primary School (2.1 miles, 75% reading, 65% maths); and Penshurst Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (2.1 miles, Good, 67% reading, 58% maths).
Fordcombe Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Langton Green Primary SchoolSpeldhurst Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolRusthall St Paul's CofE Primary SchoolPenshurst Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
The trust
Fordcombe 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
In 2026, 4 pupils (7%) received SEN support and 2 (3.5%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
Fordcombe Church of England Primary School had 5 teachers in 2026, one for every 12 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Ashurst (Kent) Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Chafford Lane (adjacent), 40 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 4 crimes within a mile of the school, most often criminal damage and arson, other theft and violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).
Suspensions and exclusions
Fordcombe 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; DfE school workforce census; 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 · 4 years agoThis judgement is from February 2016, 10 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 Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its February 2016 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
29.8%
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 improved from 67% to 77% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 33% to 69% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 67% to 85% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
14.3
Avg class size
16.0
Infant (KS1)
12.5
KS2
4
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Fordcombe Church of England Primary School
Reception Starters 2026
25 Sep 2026
End of term party
22 Jul 2026
Bike Ability
14 Jul 2026
Oak Class Play
14 Jul 2026
Arts Festival
14 Jul 2026
Sports Day
13 Jul 2026
From Fordcombe Church of England Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Fordcombe Church of England Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Fordcombe Church of England Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Fordcombe 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)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
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 Fordcombe Church of England Primary School
Will you get a place at Fordcombe Church of England Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Fordcombe Church of England Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Fordcombe Church of England Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Fordcombe Church of England Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Kent, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Fordcombe Church of England Primary School for 2019 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
58%
Available places
61 pupils
105 places
44 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Tunbridge Wells
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Tunbridge Wells
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: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(2)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
4
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
10.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
57
Total Pupils
32
Boys
25
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
11.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,607
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£8,547
Per pupil
£567k
Total funding
£29k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.2%
Overall absence
21.4%
Persistent absence
56
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Fordcombe Church of England Primary School
What are SATs results like at Fordcombe Church of England Primary School?
Of the pupils at Fordcombe Church of England Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 77% reached the expected standard in reading and 69% did so in maths.
What is Fordcombe Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Fordcombe Church of England Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2022, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2016, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Fordcombe Church of England Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Fordcombe 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 Fordcombe Church of England Primary School?
Fordcombe Church of England Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 58% of its 105 places.
How big are the classes at Fordcombe Church of England Primary School?
Classes at Fordcombe Church of England Primary School average 14.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Fordcombe Church of England Primary School?
Fordcombe Church of England Primary School has around 57 pupils on roll. 30% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Fordcombe Church of England Primary School?
8.2% of sessions were missed at Fordcombe Church of England Primary School in 2024/25. 21.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Fordcombe Church of England Primary School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Fordcombe 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.
How many road collisions happen near Fordcombe Church of England Primary School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Kent is 11 (the median across 711 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Fordcombe Church of England Primary School?
Fordcombe Church of England Primary School is at The Green, Fordcombe, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN3 0RY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)