School Chooser

Essendine Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedCouncil237 pupilsNurseryLondonWestminster
School Chooser Score
89
Well above
similar schools
Likely range 78 to 94, so it could be “above”
Out of 100. Better than 90% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodConfirmed by Ofsted, March 2023
Reached the expected level at 1184%England 63%
Attendance92.3%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families50%Far more than most schools
Places217 spare237 pupils, 454 places
Pupils per teacher20.6School workforce census

Essendine Primary School is a council school in London for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 237 pupils and room for 454. About 50 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 89 out of 100. That puts it well above schools like it, ahead of 90% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Essendine Road, London, W9 2LR020 3329 0201essendineprimary.co.ukMr Aaron Sumner headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

A shorter visit on 29 March 2023 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1184%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level37%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score111.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score112.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 75%75%20172018: 70%70%20182019: 78%78%20192023: 77%77%20232024: 75%75%20242025: 84%84%2025
Since 2017: +9%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017WestminsterEngland
Pupils tested435243555073
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths84%75%77%78%70%75%74%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths37%15%21%11%10%12%13%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score111.0108.0108.0106.0104.0106.0107.8105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score112.0108.0111.0109.0107.0110.0107.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score114.0109.0112.0112.0109.0112.0108.8105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard98%83%86%85%74%85%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard95%85%88%96%94%92%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)86%85%79%89%88%82%
Reading progressReading progress score+2.4+0.0-1.1+0.9
Maths progressMaths progress score+5.4+2.2+2.5+4.5
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged82%67%69%69%67%69%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged86%86%88%88%75%88%

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
82%86%
Gap 4 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
90%78%
Gap 12 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
86%84%
Gap 2 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
36%37%
Gap 1 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 places235 pupils for 420 places, 2024/25
56% full

185 places were empty (44% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 28% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

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.

EntryApplied at allHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary79all 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 roll237Census January 2026
Places45452% full
Pupils from low-income families50%50% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English79%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support24%57 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan6%13 pupils with a plan
Average class size25.98 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils13%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)51%£168,950 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls126 / 111
White British pupils1%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 25.5 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 26.4 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (33), Moderate learning difficulty (25), emotional and mental health (8), Physical disability (2), Autistic spectrum disorder (1), Hearing impairment (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll237262282309360371
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals50%50%51%50%41%31%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language79%77%76%74%77%76%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support19%14%9%7%5%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%6%6%6%4%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 92.3% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance92.3%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school24.2%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils1.52024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission3.5%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence7.7%7.6%9.5%7.0%5.2%4.2%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.1%4.2%5.9%4.7%3.4%2.9%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence3.5%3.4%3.6%2.3%1.8%1.3%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence24.2%24.5%31.4%22.2%14.4%7.8%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate1.50.00.30.80.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers11.5full-time equivalent, 12 people
Pupils per teacher20.6Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers92%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants13.6full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£70,858
Teachers who left in the year27%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher1.82024/25

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£10,600England £7,738. Total £2.8m
Income per pupil£10,451England £7,697. Total £2.7m
Spent on teachers per pupil£4,793England £3,480
Money in reserve6%Not much put by: £151k, £577 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£39kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£10,600spent 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 m1,85812 months to June 2026, mostly anti-social behaviour
Local crime rate105 per 1,000 people15% higher than the England average
Nearest bus stop90 mChippenham Gardens, 19 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
St Peter's CofE SchoolChurch of England460 m192Outstanding 202380Compare
The Kilburn Park School FoundationFoundation560 m55Good 201923Compare
Carlton Vale Infant SchoolCouncil570 m44Good 202329Compare
Ark Atwood Primary AcademyFree school610 m419Outstanding 202493Compare
St Mary Magdalene & St Stephen's CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England710 m168Report card 202611Compare
St Luke's CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England730 m186Outstanding 202291Compare
St Saviour's CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England750 m214Good 202379Compare
St Augustines Federated Schools: CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England760 m203No overall grade 202522Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Essendine Primary School with the 48 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 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats90%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the top quarter of its group. Its score of 89 is 58 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 0 · middle 30 · highest 97100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 48 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Essendine 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
St Mark's Primary SchoolCouncil8.5 miles225No overall grade 202497Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 89 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 89% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 78 to 94. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. 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%above
+0.23
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 43 pupils
Ofsted inspection19% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 3.5 years old
Progress pupils make20%above
+0.21
DfE progress measure; 43 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%above
+0.06
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.16
2024/25; 219 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well above
+0.27
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 43 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 Essendine Primary School a good school?

Yes, going by the figures. Essendine Primary School scores 89 out of 100. That is well above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 90% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 78 to 94, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Essendine Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Essendine Primary School good at its last full inspection on 29 March 2023.

How good are Essendine Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 84% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 37% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Essendine Primary School have?

237 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 454 places, so it is 52% full.

Is Essendine Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 185 places were empty in 2024/25 (44% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Essendine Primary School?

Pupils were in school 92.3% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 24% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Essendine Primary School?

The average class had 25.9 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 13% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

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

Contact and details

Address
Essendine Road, London, W9 2LR
Telephone
020 3329 0201
Website
www.essendineprimary.co.uk
Headteacher
Mr Aaron Sumner
Type of school
Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Local authority
Westminster
Ward
Maida Vale
Constituency
Queen's Park and Maida Vale
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
101111 · LAESTAB 2132208 · UKPRN 10070037

Where these figures come from