Ellingham Primary School, Chessington

Ofsted's report card from its 13 January 2026 inspection grades Ellingham Primary School on 7 areas: 6 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "The school makes sure that pupils achieve well."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The school ensures that the curriculum is broad and ambitious."

Early years - Expected standard. "Children get off to a great start in the early years."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "The school prioritises the identification of pupils' needs and their barriers to learning successfully."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school's priorities."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school has a coherent and well-designed personal development programme."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Over the last 3 years, the school's absence and persistent absence rates have remained high."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should ensure that their strategy to promote attendance and punctuality is fully implemented so that pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, attend school regularly. • Leaders should ensure that highly effective teaching is embedded across the school so that adaptations to pupils' learning are precise, enabling all pupils to be fully ready for future learning".

In its own words: "Starting school is a big step for children - the first step on a seven-year journey through the wonderful and exciting world of primary education."

From the headteacher's welcome: "I am incredibly proud and privileged to be part of the vibrant, caring and inclusive school community that is Ellingham Primary School. We are a school with a family feel nestled in the heart of Chessington, and our vision is clear: we want children to feel valued and celebrated, to build confidence and independence, and to experience success."

In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils at Ellingham Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 85% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 80% and 80% in Kingston upon Thames and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 74% in reading and 81% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 41 families put Ellingham Primary School as their first choice and 108 named it as one of their preferences, for 46 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Ellingham Primary School are St Mary's CofE (Aided) Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 84% reading, 79% maths); Lovelace Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 70% reading, 71% maths); Castle Hill Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 72% reading, 68% maths); and St Paul's CofE Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 81% reading, 73% maths).

Ellingham Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

92 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Ellingham Primary School (as of April 2026): 99% would recommend the school, 99% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (94%).

26.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (53%), Asian (10%) and Mixed (9%).

Ellingham Primary School had 20 teachers in 2026, one for every 14 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Chessington South Rail Station, about 190 metres away (roughly a 2-minute walk).

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Garrison Lane, 170 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 133 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 Kingston upon Thames (240).

In 2024/25, Ellingham Primary School issued 11 suspensions, 3.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Ellingham Primary School are Chessington School (under 0.1 miles), Southborough High School (1.3 miles) and Tolworth Girls' School and Sixth Form (1.3 miles).