Birkbeck Primary School, Sidcup
Birkbeck Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Sidcup. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 11 schools in Sidcup with published results, and 3,012th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.3 first-choice applications for every place. It was 94% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Bexley (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Birkbeck Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 85% of Year 6 pupils at Birkbeck Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 87% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 76% in Bexley and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 84% in reading and 95% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Birkbeck Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 121 families put Birkbeck Primary School as their first choice and 285 named it as one of their preferences, for 90 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 31 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Birkbeck Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Birkbeck Primary School are Holy Trinity Lamorbey Church of England School (0.4 miles, Good, 79% reading, 67% maths); Burnt Oak Junior School (0.5 miles, Outstanding, 77% reading, 77% maths); Chatsworth Infant School (0.6 miles, Good); and Longlands Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 94% reading, 79% maths).
Birkbeck Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Holy Trinity Lamorbey Church of England SchoolBurnt Oak Junior SchoolChatsworth Infant SchoolLonglands Primary School
Who goes there
11.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 102 pupils (15.4%) received SEN support and 15 (2.3%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Sidcup Rail Station, about 260 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hemmings Close, 190 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 143 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and vehicle crime. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Bexley (284).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Birkbeck Primary School issued 2 suspensions, 0.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Birkbeck Primary School are Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School (0.3 miles), Hurstmere School (0.6 miles), Cleeve Park School (0.6 miles) and Chislehurst School for Girls (1.2 miles).
Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar SchoolHurstmere SchoolCleeve Park SchoolChislehurst School for Girls
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Bexley published that the last place for 2022 entry went to a family 1.124 miles away (straight line). The cut-off moves every year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's December 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Birkbeck Primary School creates a motivating environment where pupils thrive academically and behaviorally. The school excels in reading and mathematics, uses high-quality texts to engage learners, and provides exceptional early years support. Your child will benefit from strong staff teaching, a carefully planned curriculum, and a culture where behaviour and respect are consistently reinforced.
Key Strengths
- Outstanding behaviour and attitudes - pupils are thoughtful, respectful and concentrate well during lessons
- Exceptional early years provision where children get off to an excellent start and are fully ready for Year 1
- Strong teaching of reading and mathematics with effective use of resources to support all pupils
- Robust support for pupils with special educational needs through staff training and adapted learning
- Good leadership with careful curriculum planning and strong professional development for staff
Areas for Improvement
- Some foundation subjects are not delivered consistently, limiting pupils' development of deep subject-specific knowledge and understanding
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with staff keeping pupils safe and responding swiftly to any concerns.
Extracurricular Activities
Residential visits, museum and places of interest outings, gardening club, choir, comic book creation
Birkbeck Primary School is a good primary school where pupils are motivated and behave exceptionally well. The school has a strong focus on curriculum design and early years provision, with effective support for all learners.
At a Glance
11.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 85% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 95% to 87% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 95% to 87% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.2
Avg class size
29.9
Infant (KS1)
29.6
KS2
22
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Birkbeck Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Birkbeck Primary School.
- Hive at Chis & Sid450m away · Not yet graded
- Stagecoach Sidcup650m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Birkbeck Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Birkbeck Primary School is in Bexley; for families living there:
Apply to Bexley for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 40
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 7
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 40 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 33 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
10 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Bexley is 28.5 (the median across 92 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Birkbeck Primary School
Will you get a place at Birkbeck Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Birkbeck Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Birkbeck Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Birkbeck Primary School.
- Last distance offered for 2020 to 2022 entry, from Bexley's own figures, and how your distance compares each year.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Birkbeck Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Bexley got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
94%
Near capacity
592 pupils
630 places
38 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Sidcup
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sidcup
Across Bexley council
Places available
3,221
Applications
2,637
Got 1st preference
91.4%
Got preferred school
98.4%
All primary applications across Bexley council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
102
SEN Support
15
EHC Plans
17.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
664
Total Pupils
338
Boys
326
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
31
Teachers
21.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,001
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,148
Per pupil
£3284k
Total funding
£88k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.0%
Overall absence
9.7%
Persistent absence
516
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Questions parents ask about Birkbeck Primary School
What are SATs results like at Birkbeck Primary School?
Of the pupils at Birkbeck Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 85% reached the expected standard in reading and 87% did so in maths.
What is Birkbeck Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Birkbeck Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in December 2023.
How close to Birkbeck Primary School do you need to live?
Bexley publishes how far the last offered place was, in miles: 0.795 for 2020 entry, then 0.835 for 2021 entry, then 1.124 for 2022 entry. The cut-off has loosened over that period, so places have been reaching further out. These are the authority's own figures, not a fixed boundary - the cut-off moves with the number of applications each year.
Is it hard to get a place at Birkbeck Primary School?
Birkbeck Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 94% of its 630 places.
How big are the classes at Birkbeck Primary School?
Classes at Birkbeck Primary School average 30.2 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Birkbeck Primary School?
Birkbeck Primary School has around 664 pupils on roll. 12% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Birkbeck Primary School?
5% of sessions were missed at Birkbeck Primary School in 2024/25. 9.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Birkbeck Primary School?
Apply through Bexley's coordinated admissions process, naming Birkbeck Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Birkbeck Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Birkbeck Primary School: Hive at Chis & Sid (450m away, registered, not yet graded) and Stagecoach Sidcup (650m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Birkbeck Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 40 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 33 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 10 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Bexley is 28.5 (the median across 92 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Birkbeck Primary School?
Birkbeck Primary School is at Alma Road, Sidcup, Kent, DA14 4ED.
Sources: Bexley admissions booklets; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)