Parents clamouring to get their children into an over-subscribed middle school are paying a £25,000 premium to move into its catchment area.

Thomas A Becket Middle School, in Glebeside Avenue, Tarring, has become so popular that nearly a quarter of all couples looking for homes in Worthing want to live near the school, according to estate agents.

Keith Mitten, the valuation manager of Your Move, which has branches throughout the town, told The Argus being in the school's catchment area added 15 per cent to the value of houses.

He said: "In cash terms, that's about £25,000 on a three-bedroom semi.

"It's supply and demand and it's a very sought-after school. They all want Thomas A Becket catchment area and if it isn't Thomas A Becket, they aren't interested."

Situated in the north of Worthing, at the foot of the Downs and about a mile from the sea, Thomas A Becket is one of the largest middle schools in the UK, with more than 800 pupils.

It lies within what schools inspectors describe as a "favoured catchment area with a strong community identity" and its intake comes mainly from the village of Tarring.

There is a waiting list for places in every year group.

It became a beacon school in 1998 and recently retained that status.

It has been awarded a certificate by the Department for Education and Employment for providing a high standard of education and has Investors in People status.

It has also received training grants of £120,000 to help neighbouring schools.

Ofsted inspectors who visited from June 2 to 5 lavished praise on the school for its high teaching standards, broad curriculum and good relationship with parents.

But the highest praise was saved for the school's eight to 12-year-olds, who have "excellent attitudes to their work" and are friendly and well-behaved.

Standards are by no means perfect. The school's results in the National Curriculum tests last year for 11-year-olds were well below the average for comparable schools in science, English and maths.

But Flora Cook, of Goddard's estate agents, in Chapel Road, Worthing, said just under a quarter of customers who come into the shop looking for properties in Worthing mention Thomas A Becket.

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for Halifax Estate Agents, in Broadwater Street West, said: "People always ask for Thomas A Becket when they come in. There are about a dozen people a week out of maybe 50.

"There are other good schools in the area but they tend to get overshadowed because Thomas A Becket is such a big school."

Headteacher Chris Budgen added: "I am very pleased the school's success has been recognised to such a great extent.

"The team were very thorough and rigorous in their inspection, particularly as we are such a large school.

"To achieve beacon status again was a magnificent achievement but we could not have done it without the incredible hard work of the teachers and the amazing support of the parents and the community."