Schools by area › Kent › Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School
Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–11 · Community school
Rydal Drive, Tunbridge Wells TN4 9SU · bishops-down.kent.sch.uk · 01892 520114
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Mar 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 67%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Kent 62%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 194
- 92% of 210 places
- Local authority
- Kent
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 19.6%
- First language not English
- 18%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 13 families put the school first and 15 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 15 | 13 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 15 | 12 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 30 | 19 | 0.6 | 95% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 24 | 20 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 30 | 30 | 1 | 90% |
Results
In 2024/25, 67% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 0% the higher standard. Across Kent it was 62%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲67% | 62% | ||
| ▼0% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▲109 | 106 | ||
| ●106 | 105 | ||
| ▲109 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School on 31 March 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Strong standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard
- Achievement: Expected standard
- Attendance and behaviour: Strong standard
- Personal development and well-being: Expected standard
- Early years: Expected standard
- Leadership and governance: Expected standard
- Inspected
- 31 Mar 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Strong standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard |
| Achievement | Expected standard |
| Attendance and behaviour | Strong standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Expected standard |
| Early years | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Nov 2023
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Nov 2023Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective Jul 2022Ungraded inspectionConcerns
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Mar 2012Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Jun 2009Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good
What parents said
96% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (92 replies, to 6 April 2026).
- Recommend
- 96%
- Positive
- 92%
- Replies
- 92
- 46% · 6 Apr 2026
based on the 86% who raised concerns
based on 5 parents (5%) whose child was bullied
based on 26 parents (28%) with SEND