St Mark's Church of England Primary School

About St Mark's Church of England Primary School

St Mark's Church of England Primary School in Tunbridge Wells is a state primary for mixed-gender pupils aged 4 to 11, with a current roll of 359 against a capacity of 420. That leaves some headroom, but the school is clearly popular: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 67 applications for just 30 places, with 21 of those coming as first preferences. The oversubscription ratio sits at 2.23, meaning more than two families applied for every spot. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 21.4%, which is notably higher than the national primary average of around 23% and suggests the school serves a relatively diverse socioeconomic mix for its area. As a Church of England school, it has a religious character, though the data doesn't specify any particular admissions criteria tied to faith. The headteacher is Simon Bird, and the school operates without a nursery or sixth form.

Academically, St Mark's most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2013 rated it Good overall, with Good marks for leadership and management. An ungraded inspection in 2022 confirmed the school remains Good. Its KS2 results for 2023/24 show 62% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is just below the Kent local authority average of 63%. The school's ranking within Tunbridge Wells places it 24th out of 31 primary schools, putting it in the bottom half locally. However, individual subject scores are stronger: 80% met the expected standard in reading, 75% in maths, and 68% in writing. Higher-standard attainment is more modest, with 7% reaching the higher bar in reading, writing and maths combined, and 32% doing so in maths alone. Reading and maths average scores were 107 and 106 respectively.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a chapel, music rooms, art studios, an ICT suite, sports hall, playing fields, library and outdoor playground. Sports provision covers athletics, football, gymnastics, swimming, cricket, cross country and rounders, while clubs include book club, drama, art club, choir and film club. SEND support is broad, covering moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication, hearing and multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. For families seeking a nearby Outstanding-rated alternative, Speldhurst Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is 3.6 km away. St Mark's is best suited to families who value a Church of England ethos, appreciate a diverse intake, and are comfortable with a school that performs around the local average academically while offering strong facilities and inclusive SEND provision.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About St Mark's Church of England Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents