Ambler Primary School and Children's Centre

Ambler Primary School and Children’s Centre is performing exceptionally well. Pupils are very happy and proud of their school, absence rates are exceptionally low, and pupils progress extremely well through the curriculum, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They are well prepared for the next stages of their education, and relationships between pupils and staff are strong and respectful. The school offers a highly ambitious curriculum from early years to Year 6, with high-quality training and support for staff. Reading and communication are prioritised, and pupils become confident, fluent readers who catch up quickly when they fall behind. Behaviour is excellent, pupils are curious and resilient, and a wide programme of enrichment experiences broadens their cultural capital. Leaders place strong emphasis on the well-being of pupils, families and staff, and the school has extensive links with the community. This was a graded inspection in November 2024. The school had previously been judged outstanding and was exempt from routine inspection until November 2020; it received an ungraded inspection in March 2023. Since September 2024, schools are not awarded an overall effectiveness grade. Safeguarding arrangements are effective, and the report identifies no substantive areas of concern.

Strengths

• Pupils are very happy, proud and highly engaged in school life
• Absence rates are exceptionally low
• Pupils, including those with SEND, progress extremely well through an ambitious curriculum
• Pupils are extremely well prepared for secondary school
• Staff and pupils build strong, trustful and respectful relationships
• Reading and communication are prioritised from early years, and pupils become confident, fluent readers
• Pupils with SEND are clearly identified and well supported
• Behaviour and attitudes are excellent, with clear routines from Nursery
• Pupils are resilient, curious and learn from mistakes
• A coherent and extensive enrichment programme broadens pupils’ cultural capital
• Pupils have meaningful leadership opportunities and learn about service to the community
• Leaders prioritise the well-being of pupils, families and staff
• The school has strong community links and is highly praised by parents
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

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 Ambler Primary School and Children's Centre attended 96.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.1% 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, 1.3% of pupils at Ambler Primary School and Children's Centre 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 Ambler Primary School and Children's Centre had 19.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.8% 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, 14.2% of pupils at Ambler Primary School and Children's Centre were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.8% 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 Ambler Primary School and Children's Centre received £10,877 and spent £10,860 for each of its 497 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £516,000 (£1,040 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

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What is Ambler Primary School and Children's Centre's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ambler Primary School and Children's Centre is Outstanding, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was Ambler Primary School and Children's Centre last inspected by Ofsted?

Ambler Primary School and Children's Centre was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does Ambler Primary School and Children's Centre have?

Ambler Primary School and Children's Centre has 515 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ambler Primary School and Children's Centre cover?

Ambler Primary School and Children's Centre for pupils aged 0 to 11.

What are Ambler Primary School and Children's Centre's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Ambler Primary School and Children's Centre?

Ambler Primary School and Children's Centre is at Blackstock Road, Finsbury Park, London, N4 2DR.