Ealdham Primary School

Ealdham Primary School is a larger-than-average primary school in an area with above-average deprivation and a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals. Following a full section 5 inspection in April 2026, the school is meeting expected standards overall. Safeguarding requirements are met, and leaders have created a caring, inclusive culture where pupils feel safe, valued and ready to learn. Reading and mathematics are particular strengths, and disadvantaged pupils achieve better than disadvantaged pupils nationally by the end of key stage 2. The curriculum is ambitious and broad, the early years provision is well planned, and inclusion and personal development are strong. Behaviour is calm and orderly, with suspensions reduced significantly.

Strengths

• Strong outcomes in reading and mathematics, above national averages.
• Disadvantaged pupils achieve better than disadvantaged pupils nationally by the end of key stage 2.
• Effective support for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, removing barriers to learning.
• Ambitious and broad curriculum that reflects the school's diverse community.
• Reading has a high profile, with effective phonics and catch-up support.
• Well-planned early years provision that builds early reading and personal development.
• Strong commitment to inclusion, helping pupils feel welcome and supported.
• Caring and respectful relationships, with calm and orderly behaviour.
• Effective leadership and governance, including careful oversight of funding and attendance.
• Well-planned personal development programme covering mental health, wellbeing and relationships.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture of safeguarding.

Areas for Improvement

• Attendance remains a challenge, and persistent absence is above the national average.
• Recent attendance systems and support have not yet had their full impact.
• Some staff are not fully clear about whole-school teaching priorities, leading to inconsistency.
• Teaching does not always adapt or check pupils' understanding closely enough.
• In a small number of subjects, some pupils are less confident about important knowledge.
• Support for pupils' learning in lessons is sometimes not precise, particularly when work is not adapted carefully.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Ealdham Primary School attended 92.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 22.2% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 2.5% of pupils at Ealdham Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Ealdham Primary School had 21.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 16.2% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 20.9% of pupils at Ealdham Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Ealdham Primary School received £8,324 and spent £8,489 for each of its 436 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £118,000 (-£270 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Greenwich · Greenwich local authority: places and applications

What is Ealdham Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ealdham Primary School is Needs attention, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Ealdham Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Ealdham Primary School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Ealdham Primary School have?

Ealdham Primary School has 455 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ealdham Primary School cover?

Ealdham Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Ealdham Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Ealdham Primary School?

Ealdham Primary School is at Ealdham Square, Eltham, London, SE9 6BP.