Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School

General Information

Address: Rydal Drive, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9SU
Phone: 01892520114
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Mrs Laura Johnson
Age range: 3-11 years
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Does not apply
Number of pupils: 194
School capacity: 210
Pupils eligible for free school meals: 38
% eligible for free school meals: 19.6%
Nursery provision: Yes

Behaviour

Awaiting Data

About this Behaviour status

We've asked this school for real behaviour figures under Freedom of Information and haven't had a response yet.

Behaviour information for this school has not been added yet.

Attendance

Overall absence: 4.8%
Persistently absent pupils: 8.5%
Data year: 2024/25

About persistent absence

A pupil is counted as "persistently absent" if they miss 10% or more of their possible school sessions - roughly one day in every two weeks. Schools and Ofsted both pay close attention to this figure specifically, since it can highlight a pattern the overall absence rate alone might hide.

SEN

Resourced Provision

SEN Unit and Resourced Provision

Most mainstream schools don't have a dedicated SEN Unit or Resourced Provision - it isn't a mark against a school that doesn't, just a different kind of setup than one that does.

SEN provision information for this school has not been added yet.

Pupils on SEN Support: 10.3%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 4.6%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Specific learning difficulty: 7 pupils
SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need: 4 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 4 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 3 pupils
Physical disability: 1 pupil

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Physical disability: 4 pupils
Speech, language and communications needs: 2 pupils
Other difficulty or disability: 2 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 1 pupil

These figures show the makeup of the school.

About these SEND figures

These figures give a sense of the makeup of the school - they aren't a judgement on the quality of support provided.

Parent score - no reviews yet –

Behaviour

–

Openness

–

Teaching Quality

–

School Ethos

–

Ability to Deal with Problems

–

Headteacher Approval

–

Would recommend –

Give this school your first review

Educational Attainment

Requires improvement 2023 report

About this Ofsted rating

Ofsted changed how it rates schools in the last couple of years, so ratings from different years aren't always on the same scale - that's why we show the year alongside every rating.

Educational attainment data for this school has not been added yet.

View full Ofsted inspection report

Ranked #21 of 23 Ofsted Rating schools of this type in the area

#19St James' Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolGood
#20St John's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#21Bishops Down Primary and Nursery SchoolRequires improvement
#22Rusthall St Paul's CofE Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#23St Matthew's High Brooms Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolRequires improvement

Click to see the full ranking

Ofsted Rating ranking

Based on real Ofsted ratings (via official DfE data) for schools on the same four-word grading scale.

#1Benenden Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#2Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolGood
#3Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#4Broadwater Down Primary SchoolGood
#5Capel Primary SchoolGood
#6Claremont Primary SchoolGood
#7Colliers Green Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#8Cranbrook Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#9Hawkhurst Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#10Lamberhurst St Mary's CofE (Voluntary Controlled) Primary SchoolGood
#11Langton Green Primary SchoolGood
#12Leigh Academy HorsmondenGood
#13Leigh Academy Paddock WoodGood
#14Skinners' Kent Primary SchoolGood
#15Skinners' Temple GroveGood
#16Southborough CofE Primary SchoolGood
#17St Augustine's Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#18St Barnabas CofE VA Primary SchoolGood
#19St James' Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolGood
#20St John's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#21Bishops Down Primary and Nursery SchoolRequires improvement
#22Rusthall St Paul's CofE Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#23St Matthew's High Brooms Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolRequires improvement

Financials

Financial summary information for this school has not been added yet.

Spending per pupil: £7,792 (2024-25)

About this spending figure

A higher or lower position here isn't a sign of a better or worse school - schools have different needs and circumstances - but it can help reassure you that a school has sufficient funding behind your child's education.

Ranked #5 of 31 Spending Per Pupil schools of this type in the area

#3Rusthall St Paul's CofE Primary School£8,604
#4Frittenden Church of England Primary School£8,471
#5Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School£7,792
#6St Matthew's High Brooms Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School£7,509
#7Colliers Green Church of England Primary School£7,209

Click to see the full ranking

Spending Per Pupil ranking

Based on official DfE financial return data (Consistent Financial Reporting / Academies Accounts Return) - not a ranking of school quality.

#1Broadwater Down Primary School£10,019
#2Skinners' Temple Grove£8,620
#3Rusthall St Paul's CofE Primary School£8,604
#4Frittenden Church of England Primary School£8,471
#5Bishops Down Primary and Nursery School£7,792
#6St Matthew's High Brooms Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School£7,509
#7Colliers Green Church of England Primary School£7,209
#8Cranbrook Church of England Primary School£7,158
#9Goudhurst and Kilndown Church of England Primary School£6,993
#10Hawkhurst Church of England Primary School£6,879
#11Sissinghurst Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School£6,851
#12St Barnabas CofE VA Primary School£6,845
#13The Wells Free School£6,750
#14Sandhurst Primary School£6,699
#15Skinners' Kent Primary School£6,552
#16Capel Primary School£6,543
#17St Peter's Church of England Primary School£6,414
#18Benenden Church of England Primary School£6,413
#19Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School£6,407
#20Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Primary School£6,348
#21Lamberhurst St Mary's CofE (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School£6,348
#22Langton Green Primary School£6,160
#23Southborough CofE Primary School£5,977
#24St John's Church of England Primary School£5,877
#25St James' Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School£5,864
#26Claremont Primary School£5,850
#27Speldhurst Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School£5,814
#28Leigh Academy Horsmonden£5,805
#29St Augustine's Catholic Primary School£5,697
#30Pembury School£5,644
#31Leigh Academy Paddock Wood£5,161

View on the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool (GOV.UK)