In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, fewer than across England. Results at 11 are close to England, and results at 16 were below England in 2026. Attendance is close to the England figure.
Thundersley and South Benfleet at a glance
Behind England on primary inspections
How Thundersley and South Benfleet's schools compare with England, area by area.
Schools and nurseries3212 primary · 3 secondary · 15 nurseries
Primaries Good or better91%England 96%
Met the standard at 1163%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths40%Attainment 8 43.2, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary14%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school18%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Thundersley and South Benfleet
Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.
How good are Thundersley and South Benfleet's schools?
Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.
Worked out by Eduscope from each school's published figures. Not an official statistic for this town.
Numbers that sum up Thundersley and South Benfleet
Thundersley and South BenfleetEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 11 primaries with one.
91%
England 96%
Below England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
2 of the 2 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
63%
England 62%
Close to England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
40%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
18%
England 18%
Close to England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
14%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 14 schools that have one.
93%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding3
Good10
Requires improvement1
Inadequate0
How it has changed
Thundersley and South Benfleet in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1163% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths39% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school18% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here
What it's like for families
Thundersley and South Benfleet has 32 schools and nurseries.
There are 4% more pupils than in 2018.
14% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Thundersley and South Benfleet's state schools each January.
7,9452018
8,1662019
8,1642021
8,0672022
8,0982023
8,2122024
8,2562025
8,2342026
Up 4% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.
Free school meals
Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.
Thundersley and South Benfleet14%
Dates to know
Apply through your local council, even for academies and faith schools.
31 OctSecondary deadlineFor children starting Year 7.
15 JanPrimary deadlineFor children starting Reception.
1 MarSecondary offersOffers day for Year 7 places.
16 AprPrimary offersOffers day for Reception places.
Keep up with schools in Thundersley and South Benfleet
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
How many schools are in Thundersley and South Benfleet?+
Thundersley and South Benfleet has 32 schools, including 14 primary schools, 5 secondary schools, 15 nurseries, 2 special schools. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.
What are the best schools in Thundersley and South Benfleet?+
The highest-ranked schools in Thundersley and South Benfleet on Eduscope are Kingston Primary School, The King John School, South Benfleet Primary School. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.
What percentage of schools in Thundersley and South Benfleet are rated Good or Outstanding?+
93% of inspected schools in Thundersley and South Benfleet hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is below the England average of 94.8%. This includes 3 schools rated Outstanding and 10 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Thundersley and South Benfleet perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Thundersley and South Benfleet, 63% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.
What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Thundersley and South Benfleet?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Thundersley and South Benfleet is 18.9:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.
What is the persistent absence rate in Thundersley and South Benfleet schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Thundersley and South Benfleet is 18.3%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.
How many pupils attend schools in Thundersley and South Benfleet?+
There are 8,234 pupils enrolled across schools in Thundersley and South Benfleet, with 3,499 in primary and 4,735 in secondary. 14.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How do I choose the right school in Thundersley and South Benfleet?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 32 schools in Thundersley and South Benfleet by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.
Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.
