Harlesden Primary School, London

Ofsted's report card from its 9 June 2026 inspection grades Harlesden Primary School on 7 areas: 5 expected standard and 2 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "By the end of Year 6, most pupils achieve well."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The school has a broad and ambitious curriculum in place."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders place great emphasis on being inclusive, which is at the heart of the school's work."

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

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school's personal, social, health, and economic education is well structured."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Many pupils attend school regularly."

Early years - Needs attention. "Leaders have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in the early years provision."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue to build on recent action to improve pupils' attendance, so that current gains are sustained for all pupils, and especially for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities"; "Leaders should ensure the implementation of the early years curriculum is in line with their expectations so that staff maximise learning opportunities with activities that are precisely matched to learning intentions, and staff routinely promote and extend children's learning and vocabulary"; "Leaders should further develop and strengthen their strategic oversight of the quality of teaching and learning, so that all pupils, including children in the early years, consistently benefit from high-quality teaching that includes effective adaptations to meet pupils' needs, and routinely checks pupils' understanding and addresses misconceptions".

In 2025, 79% of Year 6 pupils at Harlesden Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 79% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 80% and 80% in Brent and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 66% in reading and 84% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 27 families put Harlesden Primary School as their first choice and 83 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 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 Harlesden Primary School are John Keble CofE Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 82% reading, 80% maths); The Stonebridge School (0.5 miles, Requires improvement, 71% reading, 62% maths); Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 87% reading, 70% maths); and St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles, Outstanding, 100% reading, 98% maths).

Harlesden Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

52.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 78.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Black (39%), other ethnic groups (20%) and Asian (15%).

In 2026, 48 pupils (15.7%) received SEN support and 22 (7.2%) 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.

The nearest railway station is Harlesden Station, about 200 metres away (roughly a 2-minute walk).

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Fairlight Avenue, 90 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Harlesden 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 2024/25, Harlesden Primary School issued 3 suspensions, 1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Harlesden Primary School are Saint Claudine's Catholic School for Girls (0.4 miles), Newman Catholic College (0.7 miles) and Harris Lowe Academy Willesden (0.9 miles).