Shipbourne School, Tonbridge
Shipbourne School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Tonbridge. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 5th-highest of the 22 schools in Tonbridge with published results, and 3,012th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.7 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 102% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- 1.7 first choices per place
- Attendance
- Better than 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
Shipbourne School in detail
Shipbourne School in its own words
In its own words: "Shipbourne School is situated in the beautiful countryside of Kent, nestling at the bottom of Stumble Hill in Shipbourne village. It is a small school which has served the community since 1852.We have the capacity for approximately 60 pupils. Our children come from the immediate vicinity and further afield from villages, such as Hadlow and Plaxtol, as well as Tonbridge."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include multi-sports, coding, cooking and art.
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am and after-school care, from £3.37 per day.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 86% of Year 6 pupils at Shipbourne School reached the expected standard in reading and 86% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Kent and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (86% in reading, 86% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Shipbourne School
For September 2026 entry, 15 families put Shipbourne School as their first choice and 45 named it as one of their preferences, for 9 places offered. That is 1.7 first choices for every place. 7 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Shipbourne School are Plaxtol Primary School (1.1 miles, Good, 100% reading, 100% maths); St Margaret Clitherow Catholic Primary School (1.9 miles, Good, 92% reading, 90% maths); St Lawrence Church of England Primary School (2.1 miles, Good, 100% reading, 75% maths); and Cage Green Primary School (2.2 miles, Good, 67% reading, 60% maths).
Shipbourne School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Plaxtol Primary SchoolSt Margaret Clitherow Catholic Primary SchoolSt Lawrence Church of England Primary SchoolCage Green Primary School
Who goes there
14.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 7.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (75%) and Mixed (9%).
In 2026, 11 pupils (20%) received SEN support and 5 (9.1%) 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 autism.
Staffing
Shipbourne School had 6 teachers in 2026, one for every 10 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hildenborough Rail Station, about 3 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Church (n-bound), 240 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Shipbourne School issued 1 suspension, 1.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from March 2015, 11 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?
Shipbourne School is rightly proud of its strong sense of community. Everyone is welcomed and pupils' views are given a high priority, so that they feel valued and well cared for. Pupils like the fact that everyone can get to know each other well in this small, friendly school and they say that everyone is kind. Pupils from different year groups play and socialise together happily during break times. Those with special needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported and fully engaged in school life. Many parents commented on the school's inclusive and nurturing atmosphere.
Pupils attend regularly and achieve well. They thoroughly enjoy school, responding positively to the school's high expectations and developing a real sense of their own learning and progress. They talk perceptively about what the school's values mean, confidently explaining the importance of values such as teamwork, ambition and honesty. The youngest children have settled into school life well.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Curriculum development has been a key focus since the previous inspection. Leaders have sensibly prioritised developments in English and mathematics, turning their attention to developing the curriculum in the foundation subjects more recently. The school's curriculum is ambitious, broad and balanced and provides a secure framework for teaching. Well-established assessment procedures mean that teachers are clear about each pupil's learning and about what they need to learn next. Small and varying numbers of pupils in each year group mean that published outcomes do not always reflect pupils' achievement accurately. Evidence of pupils' achievement considered during this inspection, including pupils' work, indicates that all groups of pupils achieve well, and increasingly so.
Pupils' behaviour makes a strong contribution to the school's strong community atmosphere and to pupils' learning. Strong relationships support pupils' well-being well, ensuring that they feel comfortable and secure. The youngest children are introduced to routines and the school's expectations which support their learning from the start. Pupils' enjoyment of school is reflected in the fact that all groups of pupils attend regularly.
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 March 2015 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
14.5%
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 remained stable at around 86% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 86% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 86% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
18.3
Avg class size
17.0
Infant (KS1)
19.0
KS2
3
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Shipbourne School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Shipbourne School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Shipbourne 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
- 1
- 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, 1 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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 Shipbourne School
Will you get a place at Shipbourne School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Shipbourne School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Shipbourne School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Shipbourne School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Kent, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Shipbourne School for 2014 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
102%
Over capacity
61 pupils
60 places
1 pupil over capacity 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: 1.7 first choices per place
Inspection History(11)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
11
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
29.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
55
Total Pupils
28
Boys
27
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
6
Teachers
9.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,642
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,986
Per pupil
£444k
Total funding
£6k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.7%
Overall absence
1.9%
Persistent absence
52
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Shipbourne School
What are SATs results like at Shipbourne School?
Of the pupils at Shipbourne School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 86% reached the expected standard in reading and 86% did so in maths.
What is Shipbourne School's Ofsted rating?
Shipbourne School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Shipbourne School?
No fixed boundary. When Shipbourne 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 Shipbourne School?
Shipbourne School was full in 2025, at 102% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Shipbourne School?
Classes at Shipbourne School average 18.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Shipbourne School?
Shipbourne School has around 55 pupils on roll. 15% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Shipbourne School?
3.7% of sessions were missed at Shipbourne School in 2024/25. 1.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Shipbourne School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Shipbourne 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 Shipbourne 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, 1 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Shipbourne School?
Shipbourne School is at Stumble Hill, Shipbourne, Tonbridge, Kent, TN11 9PB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)