Bannockburn Primary School

Bannockburn Primary School is a large, two-site primary academy within PolyMAT. This was its first routine section 5 inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, following its conversion to academy status in October 2023. Inspectors found a highly effective school where pupils behave exceptionally well, relationships are warm and respectful, attendance is high, and parents—including those of pupils with SEND—are very positive about the school. Leaders have built a broad, ambitious and carefully sequenced curriculum, and staff check learning frequently so gaps are addressed quickly. Reading and phonics are particular strengths, early years provision is highly effective, and pupils with SEND are identified quickly and supported well. The personal development programme is exceptional, with pupil leadership groups making a tangible contribution to school life and pupils learning important life and online-safety knowledge. Governance and trust support are strong, staff feel well supported, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. No areas for improvement were identified in the report. Inspectors found no significant weaknesses and rated every inspected area outstanding.

Strengths

• Pupils behave exceptionally well, creating a calm and orderly school.
• Relationships across the school are warm, respectful and nurturing.
• Pupils are proud of their school and take on leadership roles enthusiastically.
• The curriculum is broad, ambitious and carefully sequenced.
• Staff check pupils’ learning frequently and address gaps quickly.
• Reading and phonics are taught expertly, with strong support for pupils who struggle.
• Early years provision is exciting and enabling, with strong language development.
• Pupils with SEND are identified quickly and supported to learn alongside peers.
• Personal development is exceptional, including pupil leadership and community contribution.
• Pupils learn highly relevant knowledge, including online safety.
• Staff are well supported and trained, and say they are happy and proud to work at the school.
• 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 Bannockburn Primary School attended 95.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.4% 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 Bannockburn 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 Bannockburn Primary School had 21.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.5% 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, 22.8% of pupils at Bannockburn Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.3% 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 Bannockburn Primary School received £7,585 and spent £7,787 for each of its 853 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £559,000 (£656 per pupil).

Across all 3 schools of Polymat, income was £8,920 and spending £8,914 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 Greenwich · Greenwich local authority: places and applications

Bannockburn Primary School is part of Polymat, which runs 3 schools. The nearest others:

• Woolwich Polytechnic School for Girls Thamesmead
• Woolwich Polytechnic School London

What is Bannockburn Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Bannockburn Primary School is Outstanding, from an inspection in July 2025.

When was Bannockburn Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Bannockburn Primary School was last inspected in July 2025.

How many pupils does Bannockburn Primary School have?

Bannockburn Primary School has 879 pupils on roll.

What age range does Bannockburn Primary School cover?

Bannockburn Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Bannockburn Primary School?

Bannockburn Primary School is at Plumstead High Street, London, SE18 1HE.