Downsell Primary School, London
Downsell Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in London. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 791st-highest of the 959 schools in London with published results, and 8,950th of 14,452 across England. It was 55% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Waltham Forest (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Downsell Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 71% of Year 6 pupils at Downsell Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 76% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 84% and 84% in Waltham Forest and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 65% in reading and 69% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Downsell Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 42 families put Downsell Primary School as their first choice and 84 named it as one of their preferences, for 50 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 Downsell Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Downsell Primary School are The Jenny Hammond Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 96% reading, 98% maths); Colegrave Primary School (0.4 miles, Outstanding, 89% reading, 89% maths); Mayville Academy (0.4 miles, Good, 76% reading, 81% maths); and Maryland Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 72% reading, 77% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Downsell Primary School.
The Jenny Hammond Primary SchoolColegrave Primary SchoolMayville AcademyMaryland Primary School
Who goes there
74.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (37%), Black (16%) and Mixed (13%).
In 2026, 179 pupils (42%) received SEN support and 50 (11.7%) 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 Underground station is Leyton Underground Station, about 500 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Ranelagh Road, 280 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 1369 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Waltham Forest (663), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Downsell Primary School issued 1 suspension, 0.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Downsell Primary School are Harris Academy Chobham (0.5 miles), Buxton School (0.6 miles), Sarah Bonnell School (0.8 miles) and Connaught School for Girls (0.8 miles).
Harris Academy ChobhamBuxton SchoolSarah Bonnell SchoolConnaught 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
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 · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Downsell Primary School excels at creating an inclusive environment where all children thrive, particularly those with additional needs or learning English as a second language. The school prioritizes reading from the very start and teaches a rich, broad curriculum with strong subject knowledge from teachers. Your child will benefit from a calm, caring community with plenty of enrichment opportunities including trips and clubs.
Key Strengths
- Carefully sequenced curriculum with strong focus on important vocabulary, especially benefiting pupils with SEND and those learning English
- High-quality reading teaching from early on, with well-resourced library and extra support for struggling readers
- Safe, inclusive and caring atmosphere with polite, hardworking pupils and strong behavior standards
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND who access the same curriculum as peers
- Strong school leadership with experienced governors and well-supported staff
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers sometimes move on before ensuring pupils fully understand the content, leading to gaps in knowledge
- Lack of clear tracking system to monitor which pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, access enrichment activities and clubs
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with pupils aware of online risks and confident they can speak to trusted adults about concerns.
Extracurricular Activities
Cookery club, multi-sports, coding, whole-school trips to London landmarks and seaside, leadership roles helping younger children
Downsell Primary School is a good school that provides a safe, inclusive and caring environment where pupils benefit from a rich, well-planned curriculum and strong teaching. The school has improved significantly from its previous 'requires improvement' rating.
At a Glance
30.0%
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 improved from 65% to 71% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 69% to 76% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 83% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.6
Avg class size
24.5
Infant (KS1)
25.3
KS2
16
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Downsell Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Downsell Primary School.
- School Friend Clubs @ Colegrave680m away · Not yet graded
- The Wright Education Limited At Maryland Primary School/children Centre710m away · Not yet graded
- Premier@Chobham870m away · Not yet graded
- Stepping Stones Childcare870m away · Not yet graded
- Znaniye Russian School Chobham870m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Downsell Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Downsell Primary School is in Waltham Forest; for families living there:
Apply to Waltham Forest for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 87
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 11
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 87 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 11 serious and 76 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
15 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 Waltham Forest is 66 (the median across 87 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 Downsell Primary School
Will you get a place at Downsell Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Downsell Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Downsell Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Downsell Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Waltham Forest, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Downsell Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Waltham Forest 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
55%
Available places
348 pupils
630 places
282 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 Waltham Forest council
Places available
3,614
Applications
3,040
Got 1st preference
90.6%
Got preferred school
98.8%
All primary applications across Waltham Forest council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(10)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
179
SEN Support
50
EHC Plans
53.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
426
Total Pupils
235
Boys
191
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
19
Teachers
22.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£58,799
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,497
Per pupil
£2935k
Total funding
£180k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.6%
Overall absence
19.1%
Persistent absence
329
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 Downsell Primary School
What are SATs results like at Downsell Primary School?
Of the pupils at Downsell Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 71% reached the expected standard in reading and 76% did so in maths.
What is Downsell Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Downsell Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2019 it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Downsell Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Downsell Primary School is oversubscribed, Waltham Forest allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Downsell Primary School?
Downsell Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 55% of its 630 places.
How big are the classes at Downsell Primary School?
Classes at Downsell Primary School average 24.6 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Downsell Primary School?
Downsell Primary School has around 426 pupils on roll. 30% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Downsell Primary School?
6.6% of sessions were missed at Downsell Primary School in 2024/25. 19.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Downsell Primary School?
Apply through Waltham Forest's coordinated admissions process, naming Downsell 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 Downsell Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 5 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Downsell Primary School: School Friend Clubs @ Colegrave (680m away, registered, not yet graded), The Wright Education Limited At Maryland Primary School/children Centre (710m away, registered, not yet graded) and Premier@Chobham (870m 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 Downsell Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 87 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 11 serious and 76 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 15 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 Waltham Forest is 66 (the median across 87 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Downsell Primary School?
Downsell Primary School is at Downsell Road, Leyton, London, E15 2BS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)