School Chooser

Gidea Park Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedCouncil459 pupilsRomfordHavering
School Chooser Score
86
Well above
similar schools
Likely range 77 to 92, so it could be “above”
Out of 100. Better than 63% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodConfirmed by Ofsted, May 2022
Reached the expected level at 1175%England 63%
Attendance96.5%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families10%Far fewer than most schools
Places21 spare459 pupils, 480 places
Pupils per teacher23.4School workforce census

Gidea Park Primary School is a council school in Romford for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 459 pupils and room for 480. About 10 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 87 out of 100. That puts it well above schools like it, ahead of 63% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2022.

Lodge Avenue, Gidea Park, Romford, RM2 5AJ01708 743801gideapkprimary.org.ukMrs Pawan Sharma headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

A shorter visit on 19 May 2022 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.

This inspection is more than 4 years old. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of one grade.

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1175%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level20%
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: 85%85%20172018: 92%92%20182019: 93%93%20192023: 83%83%20232024: 85%85%20242025: 75%75%2025
Since 2017: -10%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017HaveringEngland
Pupils tested596189605959
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths75%85%83%93%92%85%66%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths20%23%29%27%25%25%11%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score106.0109.0109.0110.0110.0108.0105.8105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score105.0108.0109.0110.0110.0109.0105.3104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score108.0112.0111.0113.0112.0111.0106.1105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard81%92%89%95%93%90%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard80%90%93%97%93%92%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)83%90%91%95%93%95%
Reading progressReading progress score+1.9+3.6+2.4+2.1
Maths progressMaths progress score+2.8+3.0+3.1+2.7
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged44%64%100%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged80%86%93%

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. 2 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
44%80%
Gap 36 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
72%76%
Gap 4 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
74%75%
Gap 1 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%20%
Gap 20 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.

Nearly full462 pupils for 475 places, 2024/25
97% full

Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Will my child get a place?

The last child to get a place lived 520 m away in 2026, 650 m away in 2025, 670 m away in 2024. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils, faith and other priority groups are placed first. After that, the closer you live, the better your chances. Type in your postcode to see how far away you are.

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. More children applied than there were places. The last place went to a child living 520 m from the school. Living closer than that didn't guarantee a place, but living much further away meant missing out that year.

EntryPlacesApplied at allGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary6035160520 mLA
2025 Primary6034760650 mLA
2024 Primary6038460670 mLA
2023 Primary6040960660 mLA
2022 Primary60377600.7 milesLA

The distances are the council's own, usually measured in a straight line from home to the school gate. If the distance is getting shorter each year, the school is getting harder to get into. See which councils we have this data for.

What a home within 650 m of the school costs

Typical sale price within 650 m of the school£560,000half sold for £380k to £702k
Homes sold190December 2023 to December 2025, Land Registry
Compared with the district+26%a typical home in the district sells for £445,000

Every home sold within that distance of the school (the typical cut-off over the last three years), of any type, from HM Land Registry records. If homes here cost more than the district average, that is the price people pay to live close enough to get in.

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 roll459Census January 2026
Places48096% full
Pupils from low-income families10%10% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English18%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support5%22 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan4%17 pupils with a plan
Average class size28.614 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)11%£80,600 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls233 / 226
White British pupils48%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 29.7 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 27.9 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (12), Moderate learning difficulty (8), emotional and mental health (5), language and communications needs (5), Physical disability (4), Specific learning difficulty (4).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll459458419448447467
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals10%9%6%7%7%8%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language18%41%38%38%37%33%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support6%5%4%4%4%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%3%3%3%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance96.5%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school6.9%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.42024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission0.7%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence3.5%3.5%3.9%4.6%2.0%3.4%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence2.8%2.7%3.1%4.0%1.6%2.9%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.7%0.8%0.8%0.6%0.4%0.5%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence6.9%4.9%6.3%8.5%2.3%4.7%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.40.00.00.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers19.6full-time equivalent, 22 people
Pupils per teacher23.4Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants19.3full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£54,636
Teachers who left in the year10%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher3.22024/25

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£6,169England £7,738. Total £2.8m
Income per pupil£6,311England £7,697. Total £2.9m
Spent on teachers per pupil£2,972England £3,480
Money in reserve13%A healthy amount put by: £372k, £811 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out+£65kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,169spent 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 m18912 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate72 per 1,000 people21% lower than the England average
Typical house price£445,000Havering
Nearest bus stop120 mRaphael Park, 7 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 Edward's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolChurch of England980 m675No overall grade 202484Compare
St Peter's Catholic Primary SchoolRoman Catholic0.7 miles376Good 202278Compare
Squirrels Heath Primary SchoolCouncil0.7 miles600Good 202482Compare
Hylands Primary SchoolCouncil0.8 miles658Not inspected42Compare
The Mawney Foundation SchoolFoundation0.9 miles650No overall grade 202557Compare
Parklands Primary SchoolCouncil0.9 miles881Good 202452Compare
Concordia AcademyFree school1.1 miles597Not inspected92Compare
Rise Park Junior SchoolAcademy1.1 miles350Good 202214Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Gidea Park Primary School with the 46 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 46 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats63%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 87 is 9 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 25 · middle 77 · highest 100100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 46 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Gidea Park 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
Upton Primary SchoolCouncil9.6 miles454Outstanding 202496Compare
Deansfield Primary SchoolAcademy10.1 miles461No overall grade 202598Compare
St Monica's RC Primary SchoolRoman Catholic13.8 miles441Not inspected92Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 87 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 87% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 77 to 92. 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%well above
+0.28
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 59 pupils
Ofsted inspection17% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 4.3 years old
Progress pupils make20%above
+0.20
DfE progress measure; 59 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well below
-0.15
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.11
2024/25; 432 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well above
+0.11
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 59 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 Gidea Park Primary School a good school?

Yes, going by the figures. Gidea Park Primary School scores 87 out of 100. That is well above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 63% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 77 to 92, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Gidea Park Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Gidea Park Primary School good at its last full inspection on 19 May 2022. That was more than four years ago. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of a single grade.

How good are Gidea Park Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 75% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 20% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Gidea Park Primary School have?

459 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 480 places, so it is 96% full.

Is Gidea Park Primary School oversubscribed, and how far away can you live?

Yes. For September 2026 the last place went to a child living 520 m away. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils and other priority groups come before distance, so the cut-off moves every year.

What is attendance like at Gidea Park Primary School?

Pupils were in school 96.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 7% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Gidea Park Primary School?

The average class had 28.6 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class 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
Lodge Avenue, Gidea Park, Romford, RM2 5AJ
Telephone
01708 743801
Website
www.gideapkprimary.org.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Pawan Sharma
Type of school
Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Local authority
Havering
Ward
St Edward's
Constituency
Romford
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
102308 · LAESTAB 3112069 · UKPRN 10076427

Where these figures come from