Voluntary controlled school · Kent

Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

4–11Ages
200Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
118598URN

Spring Lane, Bidborough, Tunbridge Wells, TN3 0UE · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodJul 2013

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Nov 2022

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

3.2per place

0.7 above Kent median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Kent

95 applications for 30 places · 75th of 385 in Kent

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

79%met the expected standard

Kent 65% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodJul 2013

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Nov 2022

Inspection history

10 November 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good
10 July 2013
Graded inspection: Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

3.2applications per place, Reception

0.7 above Kent median (2.4) 1.0 above England median (2.2)

95 applications · 30 places offered · 22 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 3.2; Kent median median 2.4
2025 3.1; Kent median median 2.3
2024 3.8; Kent median median 2.4
2023 3.0; Kent median median 2.3
2022 3.2; Kent median median 2.1
2021 3.1; Kent median median 2.2
2020 2.7; Kent median median 2.2
2019 2.4; Kent median median 2.1
2018 3.1; Kent median median 2.1
2017 3.3; Kent median median 2.2
2016 3.7; Kent median median 2.5
2015 3.4; Kent median median 2.4
2014 3.4; Kent median median 2.3

More applications per place than the Kent median in 13 of 13 years.

This school
Kent median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	30	95	3.2	22	0.73
Sep 2025	30	93	3.1	29	0.97
Sep 2024	25	94	3.8	22	0.88
Sep 2023	29	87	3.0	30	1.03
Sep 2022	30	97	3.2	40	1.33
Sep 2021	30	93	3.1	31	1.03
Sep 2020	30	80	2.7	21	0.70
Sep 2019	30	73	2.4	29	0.97
Sep 2018	30	92	3.1	29	0.97
Sep 2017	30	98	3.3	28	0.93
Sep 2016	30	112	3.7	42	1.40
Sep 2015	30	103	3.4	28	0.93
Sep 2014	29	99	3.4	34	1.17

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 93% · Writing 90% · Maths 83% → all three 79% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard79%62nd of 421 in Kent

Kent 65% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard93%

Kent 78% England 78%

Higher standard52%

Kent 35% England 33%

Average scaled score 110 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard90%

Kent 77% England 75%

Greater depth14%

Kent 15% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard83%

Kent 75% England 77%

Higher standard21%

Kent 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Kent median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	79%	3%	110	105
2023/24	77%	20%	109	107
2022/23	70%	13%	109	105

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Remains Good2022

3.2applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
Southborough CofE Primary School
1.6 km · Kent

Remains Good2024

1.9applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Speldhurst Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
2.2 km · Kent

Graded · no overall grade2025

4.8applications per place 81%met the SATs standard
St Augustine's Catholic Primary School
2.7 km · Kent

2026

3.6applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
St Matthew's High Brooms Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
2.7 km · Kent

Requires improvement2024

2.5applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
St John's Church of England Primary School
2.8 km · Kent

Remains Good2023

2.4applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School
3.0 km · Kent

2026

3.1applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Sussex Road Community Primary School
3.2 km · Kent

2026

2.6applications per place 85%met the SATs standard
Rusthall St Paul's CofE Primary School
3.5 km · Kent

Requires improvement2023

1.8applications per place 65%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Voluntary controlled school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 118598 · 886/3023
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 210 pupils · 200 on roll
Free school meals: 5.5% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Spring Lane, Bidborough, Tunbridge Wells, TN3 0UE
Local authority: Kent · Tunbridge Wells

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources