Tidemill Academy

Tidemill Academy has been rated as 'Good' overall in its first routine inspection since becoming an academy. The school demonstrates notable strengths in personal development and early years provision, both of which are rated 'Outstanding'. Pupils enjoy a positive learning environment where they feel safe and happy, and they benefit from a curriculum that prioritizes reading and offers a range of extracurricular opportunities. The leadership at Tidemill is ambitious for student achievement and has implemented effective support systems for pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Strengths

• Strong emphasis on reading and phonics from early years.
• Ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum across subjects.
• Positive relationships between staff and pupils fostering a safe environment.
• Outstanding personal development opportunities for pupils.
• Effective training for teachers to support diverse learning needs.

Areas for Improvement

• Older pupils sometimes face gaps in prior knowledge affecting new learning connections.

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 Tidemill Academy attended 94.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.3% 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, 1.6% of pupils at Tidemill Academy 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 Tidemill Academy had 17.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 16.7% 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, 18.3% of pupils at Tidemill Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 8.9% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has a SEN unit with 15 pupils.

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 2024–25 Tidemill Academy received £9,532 and spent £9,856 for each of its 439 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £100,000 (£228 per pupil).

Across all 65 schools of Reach2 Academy Trust, income was £7,346 and spending £7,105 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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

Tidemill Academy is part of Reach2 Academy Trust, which runs 65 schools. The nearest others:

• St Mark's Church of England Primary Academy London
• Brampton Primary Academy Bexleyheath
• Robert Fitzroy Academy Croydon
• Dorothy Barley Junior Academy Dagenham
• The Woodside Primary Academy London
• Chapel End Junior Academy London
• Aerodrome Primary Academy Croydon
• Concordia Academy Romford
• Summerside Primary Academy London
• Purfleet Primary Academy Purfleet-On-Thames

What is Tidemill Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Tidemill Academy is Good, from an inspection in January 2023.

When was Tidemill Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Tidemill Academy was last inspected in January 2023.

How many pupils does Tidemill Academy have?

Tidemill Academy has 427 pupils on roll.

What age range does Tidemill Academy cover?

Tidemill Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Tidemill Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 76% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Tidemill Academy?

Tidemill Academy is at 11 Giffin Street, London, SE8 4RJ.