School Chooser

Hillsgrove Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedAcademy280 pupilsNurseryWellingBexley
School Chooser Score
39
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 22 to 59
Out of 100. Better than 35% of the 50 schools most like it. Getting better year on year.
OfstedGoodConfirmed by Ofsted, September 2023
Reached the expected level at 1168%England 63%
Attendance93.6%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families20%A bit fewer than most schools
Places140 spare280 pupils, 420 places
Pupils per teacher24.1School workforce census

Hillsgrove Primary School is a converter academy in Welling for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 280 pupils and room for 420. About 20 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit fewer than at most schools. We give it 39 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 35% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Sidmouth Road, Welling, DA16 1DR020 8303 4949Ms Kathryn Laurie headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

A shorter visit on 27 September 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

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

Reached the expected level at 1168%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level11%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score108.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score108.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 67%67%20172018: 76%76%20182019: 84%84%20192023: 44%44%20232024: 61%61%20242025: 68%68%2025
Since 2017: +1%Improving overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017BexleyEngland
Pupils tested475455615560
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths68%61%44%84%76%67%67%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths11%2%2%26%20%8%13%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score108.0107.0105.0108.0107.0103.0106.6105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score108.0105.0102.0108.0108.0105.0105.7104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score110.0109.0106.0112.0110.0108.0106.1105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard87%78%71%89%85%70%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard83%74%65%87%93%88%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)72%72%53%90%85%87%
Reading progressReading progress score-2.0+0.2+1.3-2.9
Maths progressMaths progress score-3.2+0.0+2.6-0.6
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged60%53%14%82%47%45%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged70%64%54%84%88%78%

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
60%70%
Gap 10 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
68%68%
No gapEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
84%68%
Gap 16 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%11%
Gap 11 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 places308 pupils for 420 places, 2024/25
73% full

112 places were empty (27% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 14% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Bexley council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

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 roll280Census January 2026
Places42067% full
Pupils from low-income families20%20% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English41%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support13%37 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan6%17 pupils with a plan
Average class size28.69 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils22%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)21%£88,350 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls143 / 137
White British pupils41%

Specialist SEND provision. Resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) with 9 pupils, for autism.

To get a place in the unit or resourced provision, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school. Other schools in Bexley with autism provision.

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 25.7 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 30.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (22), Autistic spectrum disorder (17), emotional and mental health (7), Specific learning difficulty (3), Other difficulty or disability (2), Hearing impairment (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll280311335372393388
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals20%20%17%15%16%18%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language41%37%33%28%25%25%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support7%7%4%5%5%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans6%4%5%4%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.6% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance93.6%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school18.3%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.62024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission2.0%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence6.4%6.2%7.6%6.5%3.9%4.0%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.4%4.5%5.2%4.7%2.5%2.9%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.0%1.7%2.4%1.8%1.4%1.1%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence18.3%17.9%22.1%21.3%9.9%6.9%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.63.63.50.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers11.6full-time equivalent, 14 people
Pupils per teacher24.1Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants12.2full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£55,872
Teachers who left in the year22%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher1.22024/25

Money

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

Spend per pupil£7,016England £7,128. Total £2.2m
Income per pupil£7,473England £7,587. Total £2.3m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,280England £3,405
Money in reserve2%Very little put by: £49k, £158 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£142kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£7,016spent 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 m26912 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate48 per 1,000 people47% lower than the England average
Typical house price£425,000Bexley
Nearest bus stop230 mPlumstead Cemetery, 14 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 Michael's East Wickham Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy630 m221Good 202254Compare
Brampton Primary AcademyAcademy0.7 miles429Good 202467Compare
East Wickham Primary AcademyAcademy0.8 miles585Not inspected74Compare
Alexander McLeod Primary SchoolCouncil0.8 miles544No overall grade 202586Compare
Barrington Primary SchoolAcademy0.8 miles213Not inspected58Compare
Bedonwell Infant and Nursery SchoolAcademy0.8 miles309Requires improvement 20231Compare
Bedonwell Junior SchoolAcademy0.8 miles460Good 202437Compare
Foster's Primary SchoolVoluntary0.8 miles452Good 202486Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Hillsgrove Primary School with the 49 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 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats35%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 39 is 15 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 53 · highest 98100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 49 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Hillsgrove 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
Pelham Primary SchoolAcademy1.7 miles394No overall grade 202556Compare
Park Hill Infant SchoolCouncil11.5 miles270Outstanding 202397Compare
Park Hill Junior SchoolAcademy11.5 miles367Outstanding 202397Compare
Eleanor Palmer Primary SchoolCouncil12.4 miles233Outstanding 202398Compare
Garfield Primary SchoolCouncil13.5 miles306Not inspected60Compare
Holy Trinity CofE Junior SchoolChurch of England13.6 miles324Good 202375Compare
St Barnabas and St Philip's CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England13.7 miles220Good 202484Compare
Bounds Green Junior SchoolCouncil13.8 miles348Good 202254Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 39 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 39% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 22 to 59. 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; 47 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 3.0 years old
Progress pupils make20%well below
-0.26
DfE progress measure; 47 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well above
+0.18
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.07
2024/25; 284 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
-0.02
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 47 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 Hillsgrove Primary School a good school?

It is about average. Hillsgrove Primary School scores 39 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 35% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 22 to 59, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.

What is Hillsgrove Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Hillsgrove Primary School good at its last full inspection on 27 September 2023.

How good are Hillsgrove Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 68% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 11% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Hillsgrove Primary School have?

280 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 420 places, so it is 67% full.

Is Hillsgrove Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 112 places were empty in 2024/25 (27% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Hillsgrove Primary School?

Pupils were in school 93.6% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 18% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Hillsgrove Primary School?

The average class had 28.6 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 22% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Hillsgrove Primary School have specialist SEND provision?

Yes. It has resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) for autism. To get a place there, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school.

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

Contact and details

Address
Sidmouth Road, Welling, DA16 1DR
Telephone
020 8303 4949
Headteacher
Ms Kathryn Laurie
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
Amadeus Primary Academies Trust (6 schools)
Local authority
Bexley
Ward
West Heath
Constituency
Bexleyheath and Crayford
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2015 (academy converter)
URN
142295 · LAESTAB 3032007 · UKPRN 10053731
Formerly
Hillsgrove Primary School

Where these figures come from