John Donne Primary School

John Donne Primary School has been rated as good overall in its first inspection since becoming part of the Nexus Education Schools Trust. The school demonstrates a strong commitment to providing a motivating and enthusiastic learning environment for its pupils. From early years through to Year 6, the curriculum is broad and engaging, with a focus on developing pupils' vocabulary and ensuring that those with special educational needs receive appropriate support. The school emphasizes a range of personal development opportunities, fostering responsibility and respect among pupils.

Strengths

• Pupils are motivated and enthusiastic about their learning.
• Classrooms are purposeful and promote attentive learning.
• Strong emphasis on developing pupils' vocabulary.
• Effective support systems for pupils with SEND.
• Curriculum offers engaging experiences beyond academics.
• Robust training for staff improving instructional quality.

Areas for Improvement

• Some areas of the curriculum show less rigorous teaching focus.
• New assessment systems are still developing in clarity of effectiveness.

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 John Donne Primary School attended 94.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.7% 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, 0.0% of pupils at John Donne 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 John Donne Primary School had 19.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.8% 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, 9.9% of pupils at John Donne Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.2% 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 2024–25 John Donne Primary School received £9,218 and spent £9,196 for each of its 399 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £261,000 (£653 per pupil).

Across all 20 schools of Nexus Education Schools Trust, income was £8,837 and spending £8,693 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 Southwark · Southwark local authority: places and applications

John Donne Primary School is part of Nexus Education Schools Trust, which runs 20 schools. The nearest others:

• John Keats Primary School London
• Goose Green Primary and Nursery School London
• Childeric Primary School London
• Grove Primary School London
• Rotherhithe Primary School London
• Alexandra Junior School London
• Alexandra Infant School Beckenham
• Worsley Bridge Primary School Beckenham
• Balgowan Primary School Beckenham
• Highfield Junior School Bromley

What is John Donne Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for John Donne Primary School is Good, from an inspection in January 2024.

When was John Donne Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

John Donne Primary School was last inspected in January 2024.

How many pupils does John Donne Primary School have?

John Donne Primary School has 405 pupils on roll.

What age range does John Donne Primary School cover?

John Donne Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 65% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is John Donne Primary School?

John Donne Primary School is at Woods Road, London, SE15 2SW.