School Chooser

Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedChurch of England185 pupilsNursery Free breakfast clubLondonLewisham
School Chooser Score
12
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 6 to 27, so it could be “below”
Out of 100. Better than 24% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodConfirmed by Ofsted, February 2024
Reached the expected level at 1157%England 63%
Attendance93.7%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families49%Far more than most schools
Places25 spare185 pupils, 210 places
Pupils per teacher18.1School workforce census

Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School is a Church of England school (voluntary aided) in London for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 185 pupils and room for 210. About 49 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 13 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 24% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2024.

Dartmouth Road, Forest Hill, London, SE23 3HZ020 8699 9023holytrinity.lewisham.sch.ukMiss Sarah Ambrose headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

A shorter visit on 29 February 2024 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

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

Reached the expected level at 1157%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score101.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score100.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 54%54%20172018: 65%65%20182019: 56%56%20192023: 60%60%20232024: 40%40%20242025: 57%57%2025
Since 2017: +3%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017LewishamEngland
Pupils tested283025252328
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths57%40%60%56%65%54%69%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%3%4%4%13%4%10%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score101.0102.0104.099.0104.0102.0106.4105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score100.098.0103.0105.0104.0105.0105.5104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score102.0102.0108.0107.0107.0106.0106.0105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard71%60%76%56%74%54%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard68%50%64%84%87%82%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)75%73%76%88%87%86%
Reading progressReading progress score-2.3-4.6-0.6-2.4
Maths progressMaths progress score-3.0-0.1-0.4+0.8
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged58%50%50%50%55%45%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged56%25%73%60%75%59%

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
58%56%
Gap 2 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
67%50%
Gap 17 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
60%57%
Gap 3 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%0%
No gapEngland 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. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

A few spare places176 pupils for 197 places, 2024/25
89% full

About 21 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

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 Lewisham 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 roll185Census January 2026
Places21088% full
Pupils from low-income families47%49% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English43%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support31%57 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan6%11 pupils with a plan
Average class size22.67 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)47%£122,450 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls94 / 91
White British pupils7%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 21.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 26.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (13), language and communications needs (10), Moderate learning difficulty (9), Other difficulty or disability (8), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (8), Autistic spectrum disorder (6).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll185185186183169180
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals47%44%50%47%40%39%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language43%46%33%31%30%34%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support25%21%21%15%14%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%5%4%5%4%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.7% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance93.7%
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 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission2.4%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence6.3%7.0%7.1%6.6%4.5%4.5%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.9%5.1%5.1%3.5%2.2%2.5%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.4%1.9%2.0%3.1%2.2%2.0%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence18.3%26.5%24.7%23.4%9.5%14.8%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.00.00.00.01.7
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers10.0full-time equivalent, 11 people
Pupils per teacher18.1Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants10.2full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£46,895
Teachers who left in the year18%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher3.32024/25

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£9,373England £7,738. Total £1.7m
Income per pupil£9,570England £7,697. Total £1.8m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,998England £3,480
Money in reserve4%Not much put by: £62k, £338 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out+£37kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£9,373spent 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 m80312 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate78 per 1,000 people14% lower than the England average
Typical house price£470,000Lewisham
Nearest bus stop50 mDartmouth Road /Thorpewood Ave, 20 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 George's CofE Primary SchoolAcademy410 m206Report card 202690Compare
Eliot Bank Primary SchoolCouncil410 m397Good 202391Compare
St Bartholomews's Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England510 m394Good 202389Compare
Kelvin Grove Primary SchoolCouncil550 m535Good 202346Compare
Perrymount Primary SchoolCouncil700 m202Good 202350Compare
Horniman Primary SchoolCouncil940 m201Good 202378Compare
Adamsrill Primary SchoolCouncil0.7 miles361Not inspected78Compare
Kilmorie Primary SchoolCouncil0.8 miles613Good 202461Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Holy Trinity Church of England 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.

Beats24%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 13 is 22 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 0 · middle 35 · 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 Holy Trinity Church of England 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 Luke's Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy2.0 miles201Good 202353Compare
Goose Green Primary and Nursery SchoolAcademy2.0 miles210Good 202027Compare
Bellenden Primary SchoolCouncil2.1 miles221Good 202447Compare
Grove Primary SchoolAcademy2.4 miles205Good 202250Compare
Christ Church, Streatham Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy2.9 miles170Good 202278Compare
Christ Church Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England4.5 miles161Report card 202639Compare
Cherry Orchard Primary SchoolCouncil4.8 miles174Not inspected68Compare
St Josephs Catholic Primary SchoolCatholic6.2 miles133No overall grade 202587Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 13 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 13% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 6 to 27. 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%below
-0.19
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 28 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 2.5 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.16
DfE progress measure; 28 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well below
-0.11
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.08
2024/25; 164 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.08
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 28 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 Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School scores 13 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 24% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 6 to 27, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School good at its last full inspection on 29 February 2024.

How good are Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 57% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School have?

185 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 88% full.

Is Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 21 places were empty in 2024/25 (11% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School?

Pupils were in school 93.7% 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 Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School?

The average class had 22.6 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

Does Holy Trinity Church of England 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
Dartmouth Road, Forest Hill, London, SE23 3HZ
Telephone
020 8699 9023
Website
www.holytrinity.lewisham.sch.uk
Headteacher
Miss Sarah Ambrose
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
Church of England school (voluntary aided) (Voluntary aided school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Southwark
Local authority
Lewisham
Ward
Forest Hill
Constituency
Lewisham West and East Dulwich
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
100723 · LAESTAB 2093360 · UKPRN 10074727

Where these figures come from