St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School, Winchelsea
St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Winchelsea. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 5th-highest of the 132 schools in East Sussex with published results, and 1,154th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.3 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to East Sussex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 94% of Year 6 pupils at St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 89% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 72% in East Sussex and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 76% in reading and 76% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 28 families put St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School as their first choice and 44 named it as one of their preferences, for 22 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 6 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School are Icklesham Church of England Primary School and Nursery (1.9 miles, Good, 87% reading, 80% maths); Rye Community Primary School (2.3 miles, Good, 43% reading, 46% maths); Peasmarsh Church of England Primary School (3.4 miles, Good, 73% reading, 67% maths); and St Michael's Church of England Primary School (3.6 miles, Good, 33% reading, 33% maths).
St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Icklesham Church of England Primary School and NurseryRye Community Primary SchoolPeasmarsh Church of England Primary SchoolSt Michael's Church of England Primary School
Who goes there
14.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 27 pupils (18.2%) received SEN support and 1 (0.7%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Winchelsea Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The New Inn (adjacent), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 5 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in East Sussex (65).
Suspensions and exclusions
St Thomas' Church of England Aided 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 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 · 3 years agoThis judgement is from October 2014, 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 Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its October 2014 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
14.9%
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 76% to 94% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 76% to 89% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 76% to 83% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.6
Avg class size
29.0
Infant (KS1)
29.0
KS2
5
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School
Term dates
St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see East Sussex's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School is in East Sussex; for families living there:
Apply to East Sussex for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 5 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was 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 East Sussex is 8 (the median across 221 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 St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School
Will you get a place at St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from East Sussex, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in East Sussex 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.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
101%
Over capacity
142 pupils
140 places
2 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Winchelsea
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Winchelsea
Across East Sussex council
Places available
5,501
Applications
4,559
Got 1st preference
91.1%
Got preferred school
97.7%
All primary applications across East Sussex council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
27
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
18.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
148
Total Pupils
73
Boys
75
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
8
Teachers
18.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,759
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,801
Per pupil
£889k
Total funding
£35k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.3%
Overall absence
12.4%
Persistent absence
121
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 94% reached the expected standard in reading and 89% did so in maths.
What is St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School is oversubscribed, East Sussex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School?
St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School was full in 2025, at 101% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School?
Classes at St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School average 29.6 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School?
St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School has around 148 pupils on roll. 15% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School?
4.3% of sessions were missed at St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School in 2024/25. 12.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School?
Apply through East Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming St Thomas' Church of England Aided 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 St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 5 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was 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 East Sussex is 8 (the median across 221 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School?
St Thomas' Church of England Aided Primary School is at Friars Road, Winchelsea, East Sussex, TN36 4ED.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)