Groombridge St Thomas' Church of England Primary School
61%
Capacity
132
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Groombridge St Thomas' Church of England Primary School
Groombridge St Thomas' Church of England Primary School is clearly a popular choice among local families, with 39 applications for just 22 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.77. All 15 first-preference applicants were offered a place, which suggests that for those who put it top of their list, it works out. The school is a small, mixed Church of England primary for children aged 4 to 11, with 132 pupils on roll against a capacity of 218, so there is some room to grow. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it Good across the board, including for behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. That represents a step down from its previous Outstanding rating in 2009, but the school remains a solidly performing option in the Wealden area.
Academically, the school performs well above the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 75% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with an East Sussex average of 59%. Reading scores were particularly strong, with an average scaled score of 108 and 35% of pupils reaching the higher standard. Maths also performed well, with an average score of 105 and 85% meeting expectations. The school ranks 4th out of 48 primary schools in Wealden on the KS2 combined measure, placing it in the top 25% nationally. While progress scores are not available in the data, the attainment figures alone put it ahead of local peers like Blackboys Church of England Primary School and comfortably within the top 20 schools in the local authority.
The school offers a good range of facilities for a small primary, including a forest school, art studios, an ICT suite, a library, a gymnasium, playing fields, and a chapel. Sports provision covers football, tennis, dance, rounders, cricket, and cross country, while clubs include film, coding, choir, science, and chess. The school has identified SEND support for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, and speech, language and communication needs. With a very low free school meals rate of 4.5%, the intake is relatively advantaged. This is a school that suits families who value a Church of England ethos, strong core academic results, and a village-school feel with good outdoor and creative provision, but who are comfortable with a slightly smaller-than-average cohort size.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 4 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | Corseley Road, Tunbridge Wells, Wealden, TN3 9SF |
| Headteacher | Elizabeth Derham |
| Local Authority | East Sussex |
| Number of Pupils | 132 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 4.5% |
| School Capacity | 132 / 218 (61% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
25 Apr 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 26 Jun 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (75%)
2850th of 13,686
Nationally
375th of 2,034
In South East
4th of 48
In Wealden
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
75%
Expected Standard
0%
Higher Standard
'22/23
63%
'23/24
75%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
11Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed22
39
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
15 families put this school as their 1st choice (38% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 15:15
Breakfast club
07:30-08:55
After-school care
15:15-17:15
Source: groombridgest-thomas.e-sussex.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British89.4%
- White (other)3.8%
- Mixed2.3%
- Asian2.3%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
1
Total schools
1
Oversubscribed
1
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Groombridge St Thomas' Church of England Primary School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Corseley Road, Tunbridge Wells
Wealden, TN3 9SF
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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