Cardwell Primary School, London
Cardwell Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in London. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 246th-highest of the 959 schools in London with published results, and 1,876th of 14,452 across England. It was 94% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Greenwich (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Cardwell Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 89% of Year 6 pupils at Cardwell Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 89% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 82% and 81% in Greenwich and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 76% in reading and 80% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Cardwell Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 54 families put Cardwell Primary School as their first choice and 149 named it as one of their preferences, for 58 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Cardwell Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Cardwell Primary School are Woodhill Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 73% reading, 76% maths); Mulgrave Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 83% reading, 80% maths); Windrush Charlton Primary School (0.5 miles, 75% reading, 70% maths); and Thorntree Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 87% reading, 77% maths).
Cardwell Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Woodhill Primary SchoolMulgrave Primary SchoolWindrush Charlton Primary SchoolThorntree Primary School
What parents say
77 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Cardwell Primary School (as of September 2025): 71% would recommend the school, 73% say their child is happy there and 37% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (73%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (37%).
Who goes there
42.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 60.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (45%), Asian (15%) and Mixed (14%).
In 2026, 26 pupils (6.1%) received SEN support and 17 (4%) 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 Woolwich Dockyard, about 120 metres away (roughly a 2-minute walk).
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Woolwich Dockyard, 10 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Cardwell Primary School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 748 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and vehicle crime. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Greenwich (458), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Cardwell Primary School issued 13 suspensions, 3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Cardwell Primary School are Saint Mary Magdalene Church of England All Through School (0.4 miles), Royal Greenwich Trust School (0.4 miles) and London Design and Engineering UTC (1.3 miles).
Saint Mary Magdalene Church of England All Through SchoolRoyal Greenwich Trust SchoolLondon Design and Engineering UTC
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; 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
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from June 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Cardwell Primary School excels at setting high expectations for both learning and personal development. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and use careful assessment to ensure pupils understand concepts deeply before moving on. The school goes beyond academics - pupils develop into responsible, kind citizens through community service, charity work, and career exploration activities.
Key Strengths
- Ambitious, well-designed curriculum with rich and diverse topics that help pupils feel represented
- Strong teaching of reading with systematic phonics approach and effective processes to help pupils catch up
- Exemplary pupil behaviour and a positive culture of learning across the whole school
- Excellent personal development opportunities including careers exploration, community service, and a wide range of clubs
- Strong support for pupils with SEND through partnership working and appropriate curriculum access
Areas for Improvement
- A lower proportion of pupils met the expected standard in the phonics screening check in 2024 than the school expected, though the school has taken action to address this
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective and the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Ballet, taekwondo, coding clubs, career visits and workshops, charity fundraising, food and clothing banks, care home visits
Cardwell Primary School is an outstanding primary school where staff have high aspirations for pupils and set high standards for both academic and personal achievement. Pupils achieve highly, behave exemplarily, and leave well prepared for secondary education.
At a Glance
42.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
77 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 76% to 89% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 80% to 89% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 82% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.2
Avg class size
28.3
Infant (KS1)
28.3
KS2
15
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 Cardwell Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Cardwell Primary School.
- Alpha Club@Woodhill Primary School280m away · Not yet graded
- Top Horizon Learning380m away · Not yet graded
- Top Horizon Learning410m away · Not yet graded
- Bright Amazing Stars Tuition490m away · Not yet graded
- Philip Training Centre910m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Ferry Terminals
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Cardwell Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Cardwell Primary School is in Greenwich; for families living there:
Apply to Greenwich for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 60
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 60 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 54 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot 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 Greenwich is 52 (the median across 108 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 Cardwell Primary School
Will you get a place at Cardwell Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Cardwell Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Cardwell Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Cardwell Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Greenwich, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Cardwell Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Greenwich 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
395 pupils
420 places
25 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Greenwich council
Places available
3,431
Applications
2,921
Got 1st preference
89.3%
Got preferred school
98.6%
All primary applications across Greenwich council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
26
SEN Support
17
EHC Plans
10.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
423
Total Pupils
197
Boys
226
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
24
Teachers
17.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£69,090
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,877
Per pupil
£3094k
Total funding
£247k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.9%
Overall absence
12.9%
Persistent absence
356
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 Cardwell Primary School
What are SATs results like at Cardwell Primary School?
Of the pupils at Cardwell Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 89% reached the expected standard in reading and 89% did so in maths.
What is Cardwell Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Cardwell Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Cardwell Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Cardwell Primary School is oversubscribed, Greenwich allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Cardwell Primary School?
Cardwell Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 94% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at Cardwell Primary School?
Classes at Cardwell Primary School average 28.2 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 Cardwell Primary School?
Cardwell Primary School has around 423 pupils on roll. 42% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Cardwell Primary School?
4.9% of sessions were missed at Cardwell Primary School in 2024/25. 12.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Cardwell Primary School?
Apply through Greenwich's coordinated admissions process, naming Cardwell 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 Cardwell Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 5 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Cardwell Primary School: Alpha Club@Woodhill Primary School (280m away, registered, not yet graded), Top Horizon Learning (380m away, registered, not yet graded) and Top Horizon Learning (410m 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 Cardwell Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 60 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 54 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot 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 Greenwich is 52 (the median across 108 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Cardwell Primary School?
Cardwell Primary School is at 118 Frances Street, Woolwich, London, SE18 5LP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)