School profile

Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School

Primary · Community school · Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9SU

Good

Map showing Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

Key stage 2 2024/25

#6,676 of 15,057

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 31 Mar 2026

Area360 rating
Good
Inclusion
Strong standard
Curriculum and teaching
Expected standard
Achievement
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour
Strong standard
Personal development and wellbeing
Expected standard
Leadership and governance
Expected standard
Early years
Expected standard
Safeguarding
Met

School facts

PhasePrimary
TypeCommunity school
Ages3 to 11
Pupils194
GenderMixed
Head teacherMrs Laura Johnson
Local authorityKent
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 118468.

Key stage 2 results

2024/25

Year 6 results in national curriculum tests and teacher assessments. The expected standard is the level pupils should reach by the end of primary school.

MeasureThis schoolKentEngland
Expected standard in reading, writing and maths67%62%63%
Higher standard in reading, writing and mathsScore of 110 or more in reading and maths, greater depth in writing.0%10%8%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.109106106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.106104105
Average grammar, punctuation and spelling scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.109104105
Expected standard in reading87%75%76%
Expected standard in writing70%74%73%
Expected standard in maths73%71%75%
Pupils taking tests30--

Source: DfE, Compare school performance, Compare school performance 2024-2025.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census. School places come from the DfE capacity survey and do not include nursery, so unfilled places compare them with pupils outside nursery.

MeasureThis school
Pupils194
Girls90
Boys104
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.19.6%
First language not English18%
Nursery pupils (not in school places)19
School places2024/25210
Unfilled places16.7%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.20
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.9
Average class size24.3

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
64.4%
Other White
12.4%
Indian
4.6%
White and Asian
4.1%
Other mixed
3.6%
African
3.1%
Other ethnic group
2.1%
Irish
1%
White and Black African
1%
Other Asian
1%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher19
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.9.6
Teachers (FTE)10.2
Teaching assistants (FTE)10.07
Support staff (FTE)13.17
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2510.2
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/255.6
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/253.6
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/251

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Reception)Places offered on national offer day.15
Applications (Reception)Includes every preference parents listed.46
First preference applications (Reception)Families who put this school as their first choice.13
First preference offers (Reception)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.13
Applications from another local authority (Reception)0

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolKentEngland
Overall absence5%5.4%5.1%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.11.5%14.4%13.2%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.0.6%1.2%1%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate1%
Pupils with one or more suspensions1%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miNot applicableRose Hill SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
0.3 miSecondaryBennett Memorial Diocesan SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
0.7 miPrimaryRusthall St Paul's CofE Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Requires improvement
0.8 miSecondaryTunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar SchoolFoundation school
Outstanding
0.8 miPrimaryThe Wells Free SchoolFree schools
Good
0.8 miSecondaryThe Skinners' SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.1 miSecondarySt Gregory's Catholic SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.1 miSecondaryTunbridge Wells Grammar School for BoysCommunity school
Good
1.1 miPrimarySouthborough CofE Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
1.2 miPrimarySt Augustine's Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Requires improvement

Frequently asked questions about Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School

What is Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School's Ofsted rating?

Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School is rated Good, last inspected on 31 Mar 2026. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School rank in England?

Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School ranks 6,676 of 15,057 schools in England for Key stage 2 2024/25 (similar to most schools).

What are Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School's SATs results?

In 2024/25, 67% of pupils at Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (England 63%).

How hard is it to get into Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School?

For Reception entry in 2026/27, Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School made 15 offers from 46 applications (3.1 per offer), and 13 of 13 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School?

Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School has 194 pupils aged 3 to 11.

What is the capacity of Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School?

Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School had 210 school places in 2024/25, not including nursery.

How big are classes at Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School?

At Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School, the average class had 24.3 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 19 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School missed 5% of sessions (England 5.1%), and 11.5% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 13.2%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.