Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School, Sittingbourne
Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Sittingbourne. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 4th-highest of the 24 schools in Sittingbourne with published results, and 4,096th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.5 first-choice applications for every place. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2023)
- Demand
- 1.5 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
Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 81% of Year 6 pupils at Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary 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 rose from 80% in reading and 70% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 90 families put Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School as their first choice and 183 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. That is 1.5 first choices for every place. 30 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School are The Oaks Infant School (0.6 miles, Good); Minterne Junior School (0.6 miles, Good, 67% reading, 68% maths); St Peter's Catholic Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 87% reading, 73% maths); and Westlands Primary School (1 mile, Good, 78% reading, 70% maths).
Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
The Oaks Infant SchoolMinterne Junior SchoolSt Peter's Catholic Primary SchoolWestlands Primary School
Who goes there
6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 7.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (79%), Black (12%) and Mixed (6%).
In 2026, 23 pupils (5.5%) received SEN support and 4 (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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Sittingbourne Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cromers Corner (n-bound), 300 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 40 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School issued 5 suspensions, 1.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School are Fulston Manor School (0.8 miles), Highsted Grammar School (0.8 miles), Borden Grammar School (1 mile) and Westlands School (1.4 miles).
Fulston Manor SchoolHighsted Grammar SchoolBorden Grammar SchoolWestlands School
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 agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its May 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
6.0%
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 81% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 70% to 86% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 77% to 71% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.5
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
29.3
KS2
10
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 Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School.
- Stagecoach Performing Arts SittingbourneAt the school · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Tunstall Church of England (Aided) 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
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 3 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 Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School
Will you get a place at Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Tunstall Church of England (Aided) 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 Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary 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
99%
Near capacity
419 pupils
420 places
1 spare place in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Sittingbourne
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sittingbourne
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: 1.5 first choices per place
Inspection History(7)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
23
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
6.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
417
Total Pupils
206
Boys
211
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
22
Teachers
19.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£45,648
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,951
Per pupil
£2237k
Total funding
£32k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.7%
Overall absence
5.8%
Persistent absence
364
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
Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School
Questions parents ask about Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School
What are SATs results like at Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School?
Of the pupils at Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 81% reached the expected standard in reading and 86% did so in maths.
What is Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2023.
What is the catchment area for Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Tunstall Church of England (Aided) 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 Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School?
Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School?
Classes at Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School average 29.5 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 Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School?
Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School has around 417 pupils on roll. 6% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School?
3.7% of sessions were missed at Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School in 2024/25. 5.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Tunstall 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.
Does Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Stagecoach Performing Arts Sittingbourne (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 Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 3 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 Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School?
Tunstall Church of England (Aided) Primary School is at Tunstall Road, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 1YG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)