Orchard Primary School, London
Orchard Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in London. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2021. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 132nd-highest of the 959 schools in London with published results, and 941st of 14,452 across England. It was 83% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2021)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Hackney (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Orchard Primary School in detail
Orchard Primary School in its own words
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include chess and gardening.
The school runs after-school care.
Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 93% of Year 6 pupils at Orchard Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 92% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 84% and 82% in Hackney and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (95% in reading, 95% in maths).
Getting a place at Orchard Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 41 families put Orchard Primary School as their first choice and 103 named it as one of their preferences, for 43 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 Orchard Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Orchard Primary School are St John of Jerusalem Church of England Primary School (under 0.1 miles, Good, 81% reading, 87% maths); Lauriston School (0.3 miles, Good, 89% reading, 77% maths); Morningside Primary School (0.4 miles, Outstanding, 88% reading, 74% maths); and Berger Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 80% reading, 78% maths).
Orchard Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
St John of Jerusalem Church of England Primary SchoolLauriston SchoolMorningside Primary SchoolBerger Primary School
What parents say
20 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Orchard Primary School (as of April 2026): 70% would recommend the school, 95% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (95%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Who goes there
60.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 40% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (43%), Mixed (15%) and Asian (11%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is London Fields Rail Station, about 600 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Holcroft Road, 30 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Orchard Primary School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Orchard Primary School issued 2 suspensions, 0.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Orchard Primary School are Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy (0.3 miles); The Urswick School - A Church of England Secondary School (0.3 miles); Cardinal Pole Catholic School (0.4 miles); and The City Academy, Hackney (0.5 miles).
Mossbourne Victoria Park AcademyThe Urswick School - A Church of England Secondary SchoolCardinal Pole Catholic SchoolThe City Academy, Hackney
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 11 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Orchard Primary School is a nurturing place where children thrive academically and personally. The school combines excellent teaching with a rich curriculum that goes beyond the classroom, offering enriching experiences like trips abroad and community projects. With outstanding behaviour, strong pastoral support, and a particular commitment to helping disadvantaged pupils succeed, your child will be in a calm, well-organised environment where high expectations are consistently met.
Key Strengths
- Pupils achieve above-average outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics, with disadvantaged pupils outperforming their non-disadvantaged peers nationally
- Behaviour is excellent throughout the school - classrooms are calm, routines are embedded, and bullying is not tolerated
- The curriculum is ambitious and well-sequenced, with enrichment activities carefully integrated (such as the gardening curriculum) to bring learning to life
- Early years provision is exceptional, with staff building children's independence and closing gaps in foundational skills from day one
- The personal development offer is incredibly rich, including trips abroad, community involvement, and comprehensive PSHE curriculum that prepares pupils for life in modern Britain
Areas for Improvement
- Leaders identify further strengthening and refining their offer for pupils with the highest levels of need as a current priority
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and managed, and pupils are made safer and feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Half-termly trips including abroad (Tenerife), cycling lessons, gardening curriculum, class councils, community leadership roles (tree planting in Hackney), bike route exploration for transition to secondary school
Orchard Primary School is rated as Strong standard across all areas. The school demonstrates excellent achievement, behaviour, and personal development, with pupils flourishing in a safe, well-organised environment.
At a Glance
60.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
20 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 93% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 92% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 88% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.6
Avg class size
27.2
Infant (KS1)
27.3
KS2
19
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Orchard Primary School
Year 3 Make Bread
30 Sep 2026
Significant Male Day 2026
25 Sep 2026
Managing Emotions Session with Hannah Graham
24 Sep 2026
Year 3 Learn Three Digit Numbers
18 Sep 2026
EYFS Begin their School Journey
11 Sep 2026
First Golden Assembly of the Academic Year
9 Sep 2026
From Orchard Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Orchard Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Orchard Primary School.
- Hackney After School Club330m away · Not yet graded
- Direct Stars570m away · Not yet graded
- School Friend Clubs @ London Fields780m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Orchard Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Orchard Primary School is in Hackney; for families living there:
Apply to Hackney for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 111
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 16
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 111 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 16 serious and 95 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 4 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
20 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 Hackney is 169 (the median across 105 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 Orchard Primary School
Will you get a place at Orchard Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Orchard Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Orchard Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Orchard Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Hackney, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Orchard Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Hackney 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
83%
Available places
521 pupils
630 places
109 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 Hackney council
Places available
2,405
Applications
1,677
Got 1st preference
88.1%
Got preferred school
98.4%
All primary applications across Hackney council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
87
SEN Support
30
EHC Plans
22.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
518
Total Pupils
254
Boys
264
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
32
Teachers
16.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£56,864
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,505
Per pupil
£4390k
Total funding
£430k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.6%
Overall absence
14.2%
Persistent absence
493
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 Orchard Primary School
What are SATs results like at Orchard Primary School?
Of the pupils at Orchard Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 93% reached the expected standard in reading and 92% did so in maths.
What is Orchard Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Orchard Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2025, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2021, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Orchard Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Orchard Primary School is oversubscribed, Hackney allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Orchard Primary School?
Orchard Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 83% of its 630 places.
How big are the classes at Orchard Primary School?
Classes at Orchard Primary School average 26.6 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Orchard Primary School?
Orchard Primary School has around 518 pupils on roll. 60% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Orchard Primary School?
5.6% of sessions were missed at Orchard Primary School in 2024/25. 14.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Orchard Primary School?
Apply through Hackney's coordinated admissions process, naming Orchard 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 Orchard Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 3 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Orchard Primary School: Hackney After School Club (330m away, registered, not yet graded), Direct Stars (570m away, registered, not yet graded) and School Friend Clubs @ London Fields (780m 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 Orchard Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 111 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 16 serious and 95 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 4 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 20 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 Hackney is 169 (the median across 105 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Orchard Primary School?
Orchard Primary School is at Holcroft Road, Hackney, London, E9 7BB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)