Shipbourne School
Community primary school in Tonbridge (Kent).
Location
iSchool location from Get Information about Schools. Nearby schools are coloured by phase. Open Map+ for a full-screen map with neighbourhood deprivation (England only).About
Shipbourne School is situated in the beautiful countryside of Kent, nestling at the bottom of Stumble Hill in Shipbourne village. It is a small school which has served the community since 1852. We have the capacity for approximately 60 pupils. Our children come from the immediate vicinity and further afield from villages, such as Hadlow and Plaxtol, as well as Tonbridge.
The school is currently organised into three classes Tinley (Reception/Year1/Year 2), Hampton (Year 3/4) and Fairlawne (Year 5/6). Our unique setting and school structure allow for focused teaching to meet the ability and personality of the child; staff get to know the pupils quickly and tailor their lessons to facilitate effective learning for all.
We take great pride in our nurturing environment and everyone is treated as part of a family: all lives are enriched through sharing and collaborating as we prepare the children for an exciting future in which they can be both independent and aware of the feelings and needs of others. We are delighted to share some of our pupils fabulous writing with you here!
In the school’s own words, from the school website.
Enrichment
2 activitiesiFound on the school website by WhatSchool. Not verified by Governance Register; the school website is the authority.- Times Tables Rock Stars
- White Rose Maths
Awards
1 awardiFound on the school website by WhatSchool. Not verified by Governance Register; the school website is the authority.- UNICEF Rights Respecting SchoolsChildren's rights
Key facts
- URN
- 118311
- Type
- Community school
- Phase
- Primary
- Ages
- 4 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- Does not have a sixth form
- Nursery
- No Nursery Classes
- Local authority
- Kent
- Constituency
- Tonbridge
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
Governing body (9 current, 2 former)
Maintained school governing body.
Leadership
| Name | Role | How appointed | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs Rebecca Morris-Tarry Former | Chair of Governors | Appointed by GB/board | since 2025 · term ended 2026 |
Full governing body
| Name | Role | How appointed | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs Libby Taylor | Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2025 · until 2029 |
| Mrs Francesca Paul | Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2025 · until 2029 |
| Dr Andrew Tittershill | Governor | Nominated by LA and appointed by GB | since 2025 · until 2029 |
| Mr Thomas Gilder | Governor | Elected by school staff | since 2025 · until 2029 |
| Mrs Gillian Speed | Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2024 · until 2028 |
| Mrs Rebecca Morris-Tarry | Governor | Elected by parents | since 2024 · until 2028 |
| Mr Stephen Brown | Governor | Elected by parents | since 2024 · until 2028 |
| Miss Ann Windsor | Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2023 · until 2027 ends 2027 |
| Mrs Sharon Vanns | Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2023 · until 2027 ends 2027 |
| Mr Nicholas Tyler Former | Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2026 · term ended 2026 |
Source: Department for Education, Get Information about Schools (governance records, as at 25 October 2026). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Names are shown as published; there are no addresses or contact details. Current and former are worked out from term end dates when the page loads. Object or ask for removal · Report an issue with this record