Thomas A Becket Infant School, Worthing
Thomas A Becket Infant School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 7 in Worthing. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2024 did not change this grade. It was 94% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to West Sussex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Thomas A Becket Infant School in detail
Thomas A Becket Infant School in its own words
In its own words: "Provide a happy and secure environment that is both stimulating and responsive to the needs of each child. Encourage each child's natural sense of curiosity, enquiry and purpose and to develop the ability to produce high quality pieces of work, both independently and collaboratively."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Thomas A Becket Infant School
For September 2026 entry, 134 families put Thomas A Becket Infant School as their first choice and 278 named it as one of their preferences, for 138 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Thomas A Becket Infant School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Thomas A Becket Infant School are Thomas A Becket Junior School (0.2 miles, Good, 82% reading, 80% maths); Durrington Junior School (0.7 miles, Good, 80% reading, 81% maths); Durrington Infant School (0.7 miles, Requires improvement); and English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, Worthing (0.8 miles, Good, 58% reading, 68% maths).
Thomas A Becket Junior SchoolDurrington Junior SchoolDurrington Infant SchoolEnglish Martyrs Catholic Primary School, Worthing
What parents say
201 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Thomas A Becket Infant School (as of September 2025): 98% would recommend the school, 99% say their child is happy there and 70% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (99%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (70%).
Who goes there
7.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 73 pupils (15.4%) received SEN support and 10 (2.1%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is West Worthing Rail Station, about 960 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Thomas A Becket School (opposite), 210 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 323 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in West Sussex (103), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Thomas A Becket Infant School issued 24 suspensions, 4.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Thomas A Becket Infant School are Durrington High School (0.5 miles), Worthing High School (0.7 miles), Bohunt School Worthing (0.9 miles) and St Andrew's CofE High School (1.3 miles).
Durrington High SchoolWorthing High SchoolBohunt School WorthingSt Andrew's CofE High School
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; 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
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from July 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's December 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is a warm, nurturing school where children develop confidence and independence through strong relationships with caring staff. Pupils achieve well across the curriculum, with particularly strong focus on reading, and excellent support for those who need extra help. The school goes beyond academics to develop well-rounded, responsible children through meaningful roles and outdoor learning experiences.
Key Strengths
- Highly effective, well-planned curriculum that builds knowledge and skills from early years onwards
- Strong focus on reading with a recently redeveloped library and well-taught phonics programme tailored to pupils' needs
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND, with rapid identification and quick implementation of support
- Strong relationships and conduct throughout the school, underpinned by shared values (REACH)
- Rich wider development opportunities including eco-council, TASC Force, and nurture farm with outdoor learning
Areas for Improvement
- Subject-specific vocabulary teaching is in early stages and not yet systematically embedded - pupils are exposed to demanding vocabulary but not yet taught how to apply it effectively in their learning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with clear policies and positive culture where pupils know how to raise concerns and are taken seriously.
Extracurricular Activities
Eco-council, TASC Force, nurture farm (caring for rabbits, ducks and guinea pigs), outdoor learning area activities
Thomas A Becket Infant School is a happy and successful school with an exceptionally strong sense of community where pupils thrive and are well-nurtured. The school has maintained the standards from its previous good rating through effective action and strong leadership.
At a Glance
7.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
201 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
29.6
Avg class size
29.6
Infant (KS1)
16
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Thomas A Becket Infant School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Thomas A Becket Infant School.
- art-K Worthing380m away · Not yet graded
- The Hive Club Ltd920m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Thomas A Becket Infant School is a community school, so its term dates are set by West Sussex. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Thomas A Becket Infant School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Thomas A Becket Infant School is in West Sussex; for families living there:
Apply to West 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
- 66
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 14
- Children hurt
- 9
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 66 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 14 serious and 52 slight.
9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 6 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
20 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 West Sussex is 11 (the median across 337 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 Thomas A Becket Infant School
Will you get a place at Thomas A Becket Infant School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Thomas A Becket Infant School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Thomas A Becket Infant School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Thomas A Becket Infant School.
- West Sussex publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Thomas A Becket Infant School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Thomas A Becket Infant School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in West 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.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
94%
Near capacity
506 pupils
540 places
34 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Worthing
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Worthing
Across West Sussex council
Places available
9,608
Applications
8,127
Got 1st preference
92.4%
Got preferred school
99.2%
All primary applications across West Sussex council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
73
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
17.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
473
Total Pupils
246
Boys
227
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
20.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,038
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,071
Per pupil
£2839k
Total funding
£71k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.2%
Overall absence
7.3%
Persistent absence
368
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
Questions parents ask about Thomas A Becket Infant School
What is Thomas A Becket Infant School's Ofsted rating?
Thomas A Becket Infant School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Thomas A Becket Infant School?
No fixed boundary. When Thomas A Becket Infant School is oversubscribed, West Sussex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Thomas A Becket Infant School?
Thomas A Becket Infant School was not full in 2025: it ran at 94% of its 540 places.
How big are the classes at Thomas A Becket Infant School?
Classes at Thomas A Becket Infant School average 29.6 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Thomas A Becket Infant School?
Thomas A Becket Infant School has around 473 pupils on roll. 8% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Thomas A Becket Infant School?
4.2% of sessions were missed at Thomas A Becket Infant School in 2024/25. 7.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Thomas A Becket Infant School?
Apply through West Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming Thomas A Becket Infant 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 Thomas A Becket Infant School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Thomas A Becket Infant School: art-K Worthing (380m away, registered, not yet graded) and The Hive Club Ltd (920m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
What are Thomas A Becket Infant School's term dates?
Thomas A Becket Infant School is a community school, so its term dates are set by West Sussex. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027).
How many road collisions happen near Thomas A Becket Infant School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 66 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 14 serious and 52 slight. 9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 6 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 20 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 West Sussex is 11 (the median across 337 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Thomas A Becket Infant School?
Thomas A Becket Infant School is at Pelham Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN13 1JB.
Sources: West Sussex term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)