Tunbury Primary School

About Tunbury Primary School

Tunbury Primary School in Tonbridge and Malling is a state primary for mixed-gender pupils aged 4 to 11, currently educating 534 children against a capacity of 630. That leaves some physical headroom, but the school is clearly in demand: for the 2025/26 admissions cycle, it received 104 applications for 55 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.89. Of those, 51 were first-preference applications, and 51 first-preference offers were made, meaning every family who put it first got a spot. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 12.9%, which is slightly above the national average for primary schools (around 11%) but not dramatically so, suggesting a broadly mixed intake. The school is led by headteacher Ruth Austin and has no religious character. It does not offer nursery provision or a sixth form, focusing entirely on the primary years.

Academically, Tunbury performs solidly. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2023, it was rated Good across every category: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This is consistent with its previous Good rating from 2013. At Key Stage 2 in the 2023/24 academic year, 64% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, just above the local authority average of 63%. A small but notable 6% achieved the higher standard in all three subjects. In individual subjects, reading and maths average scores were 106 and 104 respectively, with 33% of pupils reaching the higher standard in reading and 24% in maths. Writing saw 11% at the higher standard. Nationally, the school ranks in the 47th percentile for the combined expected standard, and 22nd out of 41 schools in the Tonbridge and Malling local authority area.

The school offers a decent range of facilities, including playing fields, a library, an outdoor playground, an ICT suite, a sensory room, a forest school area and a chapel. Sports provision covers football, cricket, dance, swimming and netball, while clubs include Art, Eco and Science. For families with children who have additional needs, Tunbury lists SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties (including dyslexia), social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, visual impairment, autistic spectrum disorder, and other difficulties or disabilities. With its Good Ofsted rating, above-average KS2 outcomes compared to the local authority, and strong first-preference offer rate, this is a school that suits families looking for a well-regarded, inclusive primary with a broad extracurricular offer and a clear track record of meeting demand.

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