Thomas A Becket Junior School

About Thomas A Becket Junior School

Thomas A Becket Junior School is a state primary for children aged 7 to 11 in Worthing, within the West Sussex local authority. It sits 6th out of 16 primary schools in the Worthing area, placing it in the top 40% locally. The top-performing peers in the wider West Sussex LA include Barns Green Primary School, Heron Way Primary School, and Aldingbourne Primary School, all of which score higher on the same ranking metric. The school is led by headteacher Becky Linford and has a large roll of 721 pupils, though its capacity is 834, suggesting some room for growth. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in 2024, awarded a Good rating for overall effectiveness, leadership and management, and behaviour and attitudes. This marks a clear improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2016, when it was rated Requires Improvement. The 2024 ungraded inspection confirmed the school remains Good and is improving.

Academically, Thomas A Becket Junior School performs above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 66% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the West Sussex LA average of 56%. The school’s ranking score of 66 places it in the top 50 nationally for this metric. In individual subjects, 82% met the expected standard in reading, 83% in writing, and 73% in maths. At the higher standard, 26% achieved in reading, 21% in maths, and 14% in writing, while 10% reached the higher standard across all three subjects. Average scaled scores were 105 in reading and 104 in maths. The school does not publish progress scores for reading, writing or maths, so it is not possible to compare pupil progress against national averages. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 15.7%, slightly above the national average for primary schools.

The school offers a broad range of facilities, including art studios, music rooms, a library, a sensory room, a gymnasium, playing fields, and a forest school area. Sports provision covers gymnastics, cricket, netball and rounders, while extracurricular clubs include art, film, chess, gardening, eco club and coding. SEND provision is extensive, with support for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. The school is non-denominational and does not have a sixth form or nursery provision. It is not a boarding school. For families considering alternatives, the nearest Outstanding-rated school is Springfield Infant School and Nursery, about 2 km away. Thomas A Becket Junior School suits families looking for a large, improving junior school with strong core outcomes and a wide range of enrichment opportunities.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Thomas A Becket Junior School

Helpful Guides for Parents