John Ball Primary School, London
John Ball Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in London. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 465th-highest of the 959 schools in London with published results, and 4,096th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.5 first-choice applications for every place. It was 98% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
- Demand
- 1.5 first choices per place
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Lewisham (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
John Ball Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 89% of Year 6 pupils at John Ball Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 78% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 80% and 78% in Lewisham and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (81% in reading, 81% in maths).
Getting a place at John Ball Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 138 families put John Ball Primary School as their first choice and 374 named it as one of their preferences, for 91 places offered. That is 1.5 first choices for every place. 53 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at John Ball Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to John Ball Primary School are All Saints' Church of England Primary School Blackheath (0.2 miles, Good, 89% reading, 74% maths); St Margaret's Lee CofE Primary School (0.5 miles, Outstanding, 81% reading, 85% maths); Brooklands Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 93% reading, 64% maths); and St Saviour's Catholic Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 79% reading, 79% maths).
John Ball Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
All Saints' Church of England Primary School BlackheathSt Margaret's Lee CofE Primary SchoolBrooklands Primary SchoolSt Saviour's Catholic Primary School
Who goes there
11.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 31.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (32%), Mixed (19%) and Black (8%).
In 2026, 71 pupils (10.6%) received SEN support and 30 (4.5%) 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 Blackheath, about 260 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Tranquil Vale, 160 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, John Ball 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 John Ball Primary School are St Matthew Academy (0.3 miles); Trinity Church of England School, Lewisham (0.8 miles); St Ursula's Convent School (0.8 miles); and The John Roan School (0.9 miles).
St Matthew AcademyTrinity Church of England School, LewishamSt Ursula's Convent SchoolThe John Roan School
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); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its May 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
About
John Ball Primary School is a 3–11 mixed, community primary school in Blackheath, London, England. It is named after the 14th century Lollard priest, John Ball, who preached to participants in the Peasants' Revolt on Blackheath.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
11.2%
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 81% to 89% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 78% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 82% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.8
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
29.0
KS2
24
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with John Ball Primary School
Before and after school care
John Ball Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Lewisham
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near John Ball Primary School.
- The Strings Club - Blackheath Holiday Camp350m away · Not yet graded
- Super Camps - Blackheath390m away · Not yet graded
- For Kids Co. Ltd590m away · Not yet graded
- V.I.B.E Tuition910m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
John Ball Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Lewisham. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to John Ball Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. John Ball Primary School is in Lewisham; for families living there:
Apply to Lewisham for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 45
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 13
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 45 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 13 serious and 32 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
14 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 Lewisham is 75 (the median across 98 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 John Ball Primary School
Will you get a place at John Ball Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against John Ball Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for John Ball Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to John Ball Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Lewisham, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at John Ball Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Lewisham 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
98%
Near capacity
617 pupils
630 places
13 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 Lewisham council
Places available
3,323
Applications
2,840
Got 1st preference
87.4%
Got preferred school
98.8%
All primary applications across Lewisham council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: 1.5 first choices per place
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
71
SEN Support
30
EHC Plans
15.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
672
Total Pupils
361
Boys
311
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
33
Teachers
20.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£56,771
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,778
Per pupil
£3832k
Total funding
£108k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.6%
Overall absence
9.2%
Persistent absence
552
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 John Ball Primary School
What are SATs results like at John Ball Primary School?
Of the pupils at John Ball Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 89% reached the expected standard in reading and 78% did so in maths.
What is John Ball Primary School's Ofsted rating?
John Ball Primary School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2024.
What is the catchment area for John Ball Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When John Ball Primary School is oversubscribed, Lewisham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at John Ball Primary School?
John Ball Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at John Ball Primary School?
Classes at John Ball Primary School average 27.8 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to John Ball Primary School?
John Ball Primary School has around 672 pupils on roll. 11% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at John Ball Primary School?
4.6% of sessions were missed at John Ball Primary School in 2024/25. 9.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to John Ball Primary School?
Apply through Lewisham's coordinated admissions process, naming John Ball 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 John Ball Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
John Ball Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Ofsted's childcare register lists 4 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of John Ball Primary School: The Strings Club - Blackheath Holiday Camp (350m away, registered, not yet graded), Super Camps - Blackheath (390m away, registered, not yet graded) and For Kids Co. Ltd (590m away, registered, not yet graded).
What are John Ball Primary School's term dates?
John Ball Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Lewisham. In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near John Ball Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 45 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 13 serious and 32 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 14 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 Lewisham is 75 (the median across 98 schools, same distance and years).
Where is John Ball Primary School?
John Ball Primary School is at Southvale Road, Blackheath, London, SE3 0TP.
Sources: Lewisham term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)