Blue Gate Fields Infants' School
Blue Gate Fields Infants' School is a community school in Tower Hamlets for pupils aged 3 to 7. It has 336 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Blue Gate Fields Infants' School is Good, from an inspection in November 2024. It has fewer teachers for its size than most primary schools: 26.4 pupils for each teacher in 2025/26, against 20.7 nationally.
Ofsted inspection: November 2024.
| Type | Primary / Community school |
| Age Range | 3-7 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | King David Lane Stepney London E1 0EH |
| Reference Number | 100915 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 336 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 53.27%
Girls: 46.73% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 27.4% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 97.9% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 27.9 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 29.4 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 51 | 36 | 87 |
| 2 | 45 | 42 | 87 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| African | 2.7% |
| White, Other | 1.8% |
| Pakistani | 1.5% |
| Mixed, Other | 0.9% |
| Chinese | 0.6% |
| White, British | 0.3% |
| White & Asian | 0.3% |
| Indian | 0.3% |
| Unclassified | 0.3% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.3% |
| Asian, Other | 0.3% |
Blue Gate Fields Infants’ School is performing well, maintaining the standards identified in its previous inspections. The school creates a nurturing environment where pupils feel safe and supported, promoting positive relationships and excellent attitudes towards learning. With a strong emphasis on reading and vocabulary, pupils demonstrate strong achievements across various subjects. However, the school is working to address some gaps in learning resulting from insufficient checks on pupils' understanding and vocabulary support in early years education.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| Last Report Date | 08 Oct 2024 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 08 Oct 2024 | School inspection |
| 11 Jun 2019 | Short inspection |
| 07 Jul 2015 | Full inspection: |
| 15 Jan 2013 | Interim assessment |
| 26 May 2010 | Full inspection: |
| 04 Jul 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 20 May 2002 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Pupils flourish in a supportive and happy school environment.
- High expectations lead to good behavior and positive attitudes to learning.
- Strong focus on reading and effective phonics program.
- Pupils have opportunities to take on roles of responsibility.
- Curriculum designed to promote ambition and coherent knowledge acquisition.
- Effective identification and support for pupils with SEND.
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent checks on pupils' knowledge leading to gaps in learning.
- Some early years teaching lacks modeling of key vocabulary.
Reception admissions, 2026 entry
Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment
| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Second Preference | 42 | 10 |
| Third Preference | 17 | 1 |
| From another Local Authority | 2 | 0 |
Previous years
Sample
UnlockPlaces and pupil numbers
In 2024–25 Blue Gate Fields Infants' School had 265 pupils for 270 places. 5 places (1.9%) were unfilled.
Pupils and places
Reception intake in the “Tower Hamlets Primary: Wapping” planning area
Tower Hamlets counted 375 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 348 in 2029–30, down 7%.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Places | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 | 270 |
| Pupils | 269 | 269 | 266 | 268 | 270 | 268 | 254 | 260 | 261 | 267 | 264 | 269 | 265 | 265 | 265 |
| Unfilled | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1.5% | 0.7% | 0.0% | 0.7% | 5.9% | 3.7% | 3.3% | 1.1% | 2.2% | 0.4% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% |
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 Blue Gate Fields Infants' School attended 94.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 16.8% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 3.3% | 4.2% | 3.9% | 4.4% | 3.4% | 3.6% | 3.5% | 5.6% | 6.5% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Unauthorised absence | 0.9% | 0.7% | 1.0% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.8% | 0.5% | 1.2% | 1.4% | 1.0% | 0.7% |
| Severely absent pupils | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.5% | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 0.5% |
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, 0.0% of pupils at Blue Gate Fields Infants' School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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 Blue Gate Fields Infants' School had 26.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.1% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 12.0 | 9.4 | 9.7 | 8.3 | 9.3 | 8.4 | 9.3 | 9.9 | 8.8 | 9.7 | 9.1 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 8.1 | 9.2 | 10.3 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 7.1% | 9.4% | 6.1% | 17.3% | 19.6% | 0.0% | 6.4% | 0.0% | 15.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 18.9% | 7.2% | 12.8% | 12.1% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 83.3% | 88.9% | 57.9% | 68.4% | 66.7% | 88.2% | 62.5% | 75.0% | 55.6% | – | 86.7% | 57.9% | 58.8% | 58.8% | 66.7% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 6.3 | 6.1 | 3.6 | 7.1 | 6.1 | 5.9 | 4.1 | 5.6 | 3.6 | – | 18.9 | 10.5 | 3.2 | 6.7 | 5.9 | – |
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, 32.1% of pupils at Blue Gate Fields Infants' School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).
Pupils by main type of need
| SEN support | EHC plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Speech, language and communication needs | 83 | 9 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 2 | 12 |
| Social, emotional and mental health | 14 | 0 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 7 | 0 |
| Physical disability | 1 | 1 |
| Other difficulty or disability | 1 | 0 |
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 Blue Gate Fields Infants' School received £9,500 and spent £9,402 for each of its 333 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £195,000 (£587 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £247,000 | £448,000 | £525,000 | £223,000 | £202,000 | £189,000 | £163,000 | £195,000 |
| per pupil | £739 | £1,365 | £1,644 | £684 | £628 | £632 | £522 | £587 |
| In-year balance | -£0 | £202,000 | £77,000 | -£302,000 | -£21,000 | -£13,000 | -£26,000 | £32,000 |
| per pupil | -£1 | £614 | £240 | -£925 | -£65 | -£44 | -£84 | £97 |
Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).
| Name | Distance |
|
Blue Gate Fields Junior School
King David Lane, Wapping, London, E1 0EH |
0 miles |
|
St Mary and St Michael Primary School
Sutton Street, Stepney, London, E1 0BD |
0.23 miles |
|
Bigland Green Primary School
Bigland Street, Wapping, London, E1 2ND |
0.3 miles |
|
St Peter's London Docks CofE Primary School
Garnet Street, London, E1W 3QT |
0.31 miles |
|
Buttercup Primary School
181 Cannon Street Road, London, E1 2LX |
0.42 miles |
|
Marion Richardson Primary School
Senrab Street, London, E1 0QF |
0.42 miles |
|
Daffodil Preparatory School
161 - 163 Commercial Road, Tower Hamlets, London, E1 2DA |
0.43 miles |
|
St Paul's Whitechapel Church of England Primary School
Wellclose Square, Stepney, London, E1 8HY |
0.5 miles |
|
Harry Gosling Primary School
Fairclough Street, London, E1 1NT |
0.55 miles |
|
Stepney Park Primary School
Smithy Street, Stepney, London, E1 3BW |
0.58 miles |
|
Peter Hills with St Mary's and St Paul's CofE Primary School
2 Beatson Walk, Rotherhithe, London, SE16 5ED |
0.59 miles |
|
Kobi Nazrul Primary School
Settles Street, Whitechapel, Kobi Nazrul Primary School, London, E1 1JP |
0.59 miles |
|
Hermitage Primary School
Vaughan Way, London, E1W 2PT |
0.61 miles |
|
Date Palm Primary
80-82 Greenfield Road, London, London, E1 1EJ |
0.62 miles |
|
Al-Mizan School
46 Whitechapel Road, London, E1 1JX |
0.68 miles |
|
Albion Primary School
Albion Street, Rotherhithe, London, SE16 7JD |
0.74 miles |
|
English Martyrs Roman Catholic Primary School
St Mark Street, Wapping, London, E1 8DJ |
0.77 miles |
|
The Hamlet School
Brunton Place, London, E14 7LL |
0.77 miles |
|
Cayley Primary School
Aston Street, Stepney, London, E14 7NG |
0.78 miles |
|
Alice Model Nursery School
14 Beaumont Grove, London, E1 4NQ |
0.8 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Jamiatul Ummah School
56 Bigland Street, Shadwell, London, E1 2ND |
0.23 miles |
|
Bishop Challoner Catholic School
352 Commercial Road, London, E1 0LB |
0.24 miles |
|
Mulberry School for Girls
Richard Street, Commercial Road, London, E1 2JP |
0.34 miles |
|
London Islamic School
18-22 Damien Street, London, E1 2HX |
0.4 miles |
|
Wapping High School
153 Commercial Road, London, Not applicable, E1 2DA |
0.42 miles |
|
Madani Secondary Girls' School
Myrdle Street, London, E1 1HL |
0.51 miles |
|
Mulberry Academy London Dock
6 Virginia Street, London, E1W 2AD |
0.52 miles |
|
London Enterprise Academy
81-91 Commercial Road, Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets, London, E1 1RD |
0.54 miles |
|
Stepney All Saints Church of England Secondary School
Stepney Way, Stepney, London, E1 0RH |
0.6 miles |
|
London East Academy
46 Whitechapel Road, Whitechapel, London, E1 1JX |
0.68 miles |
|
Mulberry Stepney Green Mathematics and Computing College
Ben Jonson Road, Stepney, London, E1 4SD |
0.73 miles |
|
Swanlea School
31 Brady Street, Whitechapel, London, E1 5DJ |
0.75 miles |
|
Bacon's College
Timber Pond Road, London, SE16 6AT |
0.77 miles |
|
The Complete Works
1st Floor, Universal House, 88-94 Wentworth St, London, E1 7SA |
0.85 miles |
|
Mazahirul Uloom London School
241-243 Mile End Road, Stepney, London, E1 4AA |
0.92 miles |
|
St Michael's Catholic College
Llewellyn Street, London, SE16 4UN |
0.94 miles |
|
David Game College
31 Jewry Street, London, EC3N 2ET |
0.97 miles |
|
The Charter School Bermondsey
Keeton's Road, London, SE16 4EE |
1.02 miles |
|
OMG Education
85 Commercial Street, London, E1 6BG |
1.03 miles |
|
Darul Hadis Latifiah
1 Cornwall Avenue, London, E2 0HW |
1.1 miles |
All schools in Tower Hamlets · Tower Hamlets local authority: places and applications
What is Blue Gate Fields Infants' School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for Blue Gate Fields Infants' School is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.
When was Blue Gate Fields Infants' School last inspected by Ofsted?
Blue Gate Fields Infants' School was last inspected in November 2024.
How many pupils does Blue Gate Fields Infants' School have?
Blue Gate Fields Infants' School has 336 pupils on roll.
What age range does Blue Gate Fields Infants' School cover?
Blue Gate Fields Infants' School for pupils aged 3 to 7.
Where is Blue Gate Fields Infants' School?
Blue Gate Fields Infants' School is at King David Lane, Stepney, London, E1 0EH.
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