Voluntary controlled school · Kent

St Matthew's High Brooms Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

4–11Ages
293Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
118709URN

Powder Mill Lane, High Brooms, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9DY · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 2024 Previous framework

Requires improvement

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.5per place

close to Kent median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Kent

54 applications for 22 places · 178th of 385 in Kent

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

59%met the expected standard

Kent 65% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Requires improvement · 26 March 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Good	Requires improvement
Quality of education		Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes	Good
Personal development	Good
Leadership and management		Requires improvement
Early years provision	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

2.5applications per place, Reception

close to Kent median (2.4) 0.3 above England median (2.2)

54 applications · 22 places offered · 19 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 2.5; Kent median median 2.4
2025 3.0; Kent median median 2.3
2024 2.1; Kent median median 2.4
2023 2.3; Kent median median 2.3
2022 2.0; Kent median median 2.1
2021 2.2; Kent median median 2.2
2020 1.9; Kent median median 2.2
2019 1.8; Kent median median 2.1
2018 2.4; Kent median median 2.1
2017 2.1; Kent median median 2.2
2016 2.2; Kent median median 2.5
2015 2.3; Kent median median 2.4
2014 1.4; Kent median median 2.3

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	22	54	2.5	19	0.86
Sep 2025	23	69	3.0	18	0.78
Sep 2024	45	95	2.1	31	0.69
Sep 2023	46	107	2.3	41	0.89
Sep 2022	38	74	2.0	28	0.74
Sep 2021	45	97	2.2	35	0.78
Sep 2020	50	95	1.9	35	0.70
Sep 2019	58	103	1.8	44	0.76
Sep 2018	42	102	2.4	35	0.83
Sep 2017	58	122	2.1	39	0.67
Sep 2016	60	132	2.2	56	0.93
Sep 2015	60	138	2.3	51	0.85
Sep 2014	60	83	1.4	37	0.62

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 71% · Writing 73% · Maths 63% → all three 59% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard59%270th of 421 in Kent

Kent 65% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard71%

Kent 78% England 78%

Higher standard39%

Kent 35% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard73%

Kent 77% England 75%

Greater depth10%

Kent 15% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard63%

Kent 75% England 77%

Higher standard31%

Kent 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 103 (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	59%	8%	106	103
2023/24	68%	19%	105	105
2022/23	45%	6%	106	104

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

St Matthew's High Brooms Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Requires improvement2024

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

Remains Good2023

2.4applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
St Augustine's Catholic Primary School
0.7 km · Kent

2026

3.6applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
Southborough CofE Primary School
1.3 km · Kent

Remains Good2024

1.9applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Skinners' Temple Grove
1.4 km · Kent

Some aspects not as strong2025

1.3applications per place 39%met the SATs standard
Skinners' Kent Primary School
1.5 km · Kent

Remains Good2024

3.3applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
St Barnabas CofE VA Primary School
1.5 km · Kent

Remains Good2024

2.5applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
The Wells Free School
2.1 km · Kent

Standards maintained2025

2.8applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
St James' Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
2.1 km · Kent

Good2024

2.8applications per place 72%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: 118709 · 886/3294
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 420 pupils · 293 on roll
Free school meals: 53.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Powder Mill Lane, High Brooms, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9DY
Local authority: Kent · Tunbridge Wells

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