School Chooser

Bellenden Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedCouncil221 pupilsNursery Free breakfast clubLondonSouthwark
School Chooser Score
47
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 25 to 70
Out of 100. Better than 70% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, March 2024
Reached the expected level at 1170%England 63%
Attendance93.4%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families48%Far more than most schools
PlacesFull221 pupils, 210 places
Pupils per teacher19.8School workforce census

Bellenden Primary School is a council school in London for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 221 pupils, 11 more than it has places for. About 48 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 47 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 70% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2024.

Dewar Street, London, SE15 4JP020 7732 7107bellenden.southwark.sch.ukMr Gregory Doey headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 6 March 2024, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

27 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1170%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level7%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score106.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score105.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 68%68%20172018: 59%59%20182019: 62%62%20192023: 66%66%20232024: 70%70%20242025: 70%70%2025
Since 2017: +2%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017SouthwarkEngland
Pupils tested272732502728
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths70%70%66%62%59%68%70%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths7%4%3%8%4%0%12%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score106.0106.0106.0104.0106.0103.0106.6105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score105.0104.0105.0105.0104.0107.0105.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score105.0102.0106.0108.0106.0108.0106.7105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard78%81%78%68%67%75%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard78%81%75%74%74%86%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)78%78%72%78%67%71%
Reading progressReading progress score+1.8+3.1+0.9+1.0
Maths progressMaths progress score+1.6+2.3-0.6+4.4
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged72%73%50%67%60%67%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged67%69%86%59%59%70%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 3 of the 4 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
72%67%
Gap 5 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
78%67%
Gap 11 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
67%70%
Gap 3 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
11%7%
Gap 4 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Plenty of spare places184 pupils for 420 places, 2024/25
44% full

236 places were empty (56% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have grown by 5% since 2021/22.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place.

EntryPlacesApplied at allHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary3073all offeredLA

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll221Census January 2026
Places210105% full
Pupils from low-income families44%48% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English46%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support19%41 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan8%17 pupils with a plan
Average class size25.06 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils17%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)49%£148,800 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls103 / 118
White British pupils6%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 28.3 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 29.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (19), language and communications needs (17), Moderate learning difficulty (10), emotional and mental health (7), Physical disability (2), Hearing impairment (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll221205214218204228
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals44%44%43%41%40%41%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language46%50%52%52%55%58%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support22%17%13%16%15%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%1%2%2%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.4% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance93.4%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school22.9%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.6%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence6.6%5.6%6.3%5.3%4.2%4.8%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence5.0%4.0%4.1%2.3%2.0%2.4%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.6%1.7%2.2%3.0%2.2%2.4%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence22.9%19.4%20.5%14.0%12.6%11.0%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.00.00.00.00.9
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers10.7full-time equivalent, 12 people
Pupils per teacher19.8Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants7.8full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£64,961
Teachers who left in the year9%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher12.02024/25

Money

From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£11,028England £7,738. Total £2.1m
Income per pupil£10,787England £7,697. Total £2.1m
Spent on teachers per pupil£5,158England £3,480
Money in reserve-4%In the red: -£75k, -£391 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£46kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£11,028spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m1,26312 months to June 2026, mostly anti-social behaviour
Local crime rate151 per 1,000 people66% higher than the England average
Typical house price£550,000Southwark
Nearest bus stop140 mNigel Road, 23 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Rye Oak Primary SchoolCouncil320 m265Good 202349Compare
St John's and St Clement's Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England340 m400No overall grade 202494Compare
The Belham Primary SchoolFree school420 m385Good 202485Compare
Goose Green Primary and Nursery SchoolAcademy730 m210Good 202027Compare
John Donne Primary SchoolAcademy0.6 miles405Good 202353Compare
Grove Primary SchoolAcademy0.7 miles205Good 202250Compare
Hollydale Primary SchoolCouncil0.7 miles155No overall grade 202444Compare
St James the Great Roman Catholic Primary SchoolRoman Catholic0.7 miles228Good 202279Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Bellenden Primary School with the 50 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats70%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 47 is 16 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 0 · middle 31 · highest 93100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 50 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Bellenden Primary School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Christ Church, Streatham Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy2.7 miles170Good 202278Compare
Cherry Orchard Primary SchoolCouncil4.4 miles174Not inspected68Compare
St George the Martyr Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England4.5 miles190Outstanding 202493Compare
Mowlem Primary SchoolCouncil4.8 miles222Outstanding 202486Compare
Paxton Academy Sports And ScienceFree school5.3 miles281Good 202274Compare
St Francis' Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy6.6 miles256Good 202479Compare
Kentish Town Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England6.6 miles224Outstanding 202490Compare
Rosary Catholic Primary SchoolRoman Catholic7.4 miles279Good 202283Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 47 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 47% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 25 to 70. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%in line
-0.03
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 27 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 2.5 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
+0.01
DfE progress measure; 27 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
0.00
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.12
2024/25; 157 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%above
+0.08
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 27 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Bellenden Primary School a good school?

It is about average. Bellenden Primary School scores 47 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 70% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 25 to 70, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Bellenden Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Bellenden Primary School good at its last full inspection on 6 March 2024.

How good are Bellenden Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 70% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 7% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Bellenden Primary School have?

221 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 105% full.

Is Bellenden Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 236 places were empty in 2024/25 (56% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Bellenden Primary School?

Pupils were in school 93.4% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 23% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Bellenden Primary School?

The average class had 25.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 17% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Bellenden Primary School have a breakfast club?

Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Dewar Street, London, SE15 4JP
Telephone
020 7732 7107
Website
www.bellenden.southwark.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mr Gregory Doey
Free breakfast club
Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
Type of school
Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Local authority
Southwark
Ward
Rye Lane
Constituency
Peckham
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
100775 · LAESTAB 2102038 · UKPRN 10074621

Where these figures come from