Downshall Primary School, Ilford

Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~342m)Possible (~489m)Unlikely (~636m)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Ian Bennett
Pupils:501 / 630 capacity
LA:Redbridge
Phone:02085902157
Address:Meads Lane, Seven Kings, Ilford, IG3 8UG
Trust:NEW VISION TRUST
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 January 2023

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 6 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Strong Standard
Behaviour
Expected Standard
Personal Development
Strong Standard
Leadership
Strong Standard
Early Years
Expected Standard
Inspected 24 March 2026View full report
URN:149520
UKPRN:10091674
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Ilford South
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Downshall Primary is a caring school where children thrive academically and personally. The school excels at teaching reading and mathematics, and goes above and beyond with enriching activities like trips to Mexico City and projects that build children's confidence and empathy. Staff are highly skilled at supporting all learners, including those who need extra help.

Key Strengths

  • Pupils achieve above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics, with strong progress from their starting points
  • Teaching is of high quality with staff who have excellent subject knowledge and adapt their approach to support all learners
  • The school has developed an ambitious and broad curriculum that helps pupils develop deep understanding
  • Strong personal development programme including intergenerational work with older people and secondary school pupils
  • Excellent support for pupils with special educational needs and disadvantaged pupils, with tailored provision and specialist support

Areas for Improvement

  • A small number of pupils, including some who are disadvantaged, do not attend as regularly as they could
  • Early years staff could use interactions more effectively to extend children's language and vocabulary development
  • Leaders are continuing to refine their monitoring of progress for pupils with SEND to understand which support strategies are most effective

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and managed, and pupils are made safer and feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Global learning projects, educational visits, residential trips, intergenerational activities with local community elders, activities with secondary school pupils, clubs

Downshall Primary School is a warm and nurturing community that celebrates diversity and has undergone strategic changes to meet the evolving needs of its pupils. Leaders have made rapid improvements to the curriculum and quality of teaching, resulting in pupils achieving above national averages by the end of Year 6.

At a Glance

29.1%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-3ppMathsWriting+3pp

Reading has remained stable at around 80%. Maths has remained stable at around 86%. Writing has remained stable at around 83%.

Class Sizes

27.1

Avg class size

28.8

Infant (KS1)

26.4

KS2

19

Total classes

1 class with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Newbury Park Station
674m · 11 min walk
Seven Kings Rail Station
733m · 12 min walk
Seven Kings Station (Entrance)
736m · 12 min walk

Tube / Metro / Tram

Newbury Park Station
676m · 11 min walk
Newbury Park Underground Station
697m · 11 min walk

Bus Stops

Wards Road/Aldborough Rd South (->E)
115m · 2 min walk
Newbury Park Station (Stop NB)
589m · 10 min walk
Oaks Lane (Stop NC)
613m · 10 min walk
Seven Kings Station (Stop M)
700m · 11 min walk
King George Avenue (Stop ND)
723m · 12 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

80%

Available places

501 pupils

630 capacity

129 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Ilford

Low pressure
New homes approved:1,227
Projected new pupils:307

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Ilford

Admissions Demand - Redbridge

Low demand0.82x oversubscription

Places available

4,274

Applications

3,495

Got 1st preference

88.8%

Got preferred school

98.3%

Primary admissions across Redbridge (2025/26)

Inspection History(2)

24 March 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Early Years
6 January 2023

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

7.01181%

Overall absence

22.72727%

Persistent absence

440

Enrolments

Authorised5.47513%
Unauthorised1.53668%
Persistent (10%+)22.72727%
Severe (50%+)2.27273%

Absence trend

7.80638%
22/23
6.07916%
23/24
7.01181%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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