Orchard Primary School, Sidcup

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

Achievement - Expected standard. "Many pupils achieve well."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Pupils attend school regularly."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The school curriculum is broad, balanced and ambitious."

Early years - Expected standard. "Children enjoy a calm and nurturing environment."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Pupils flourish and make progress from their individual starting points, especially in reading."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders and governors share their ambition for all pupils."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school's personal development programme supports pupils' personal growth from Reception to Year 6."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that pupils have regular opportunities to apply and develop their writing skills across the curriculum so that more pupils achieve well in writing by the end of Year 6"; "Leaders should strengthen the consistency and impact of teaching in the early years, including the quality of staff–child interactions, so that children are continually well supported to extend their knowledge and skills and, in turn, achieve as highly as possible in all areas of learning".

In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils at Orchard Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 77% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 76% in Bexley and 77% and 75% across England.

Results were similar in 2024 (77% in reading, 73% in maths).

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 19 families put Orchard Primary School as their first choice and 59 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 Orchard Primary School are St Peter Chanel Catholic Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 58% reading, 31% maths); Hope Community School (0.4 miles, Good, 62% reading, 52% maths); Midfield Primary School (0.8 miles, Outstanding, 67% reading, 67% maths); and Birkbeck Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 85% reading, 87% maths).

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

38.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (49%), Mixed (17%) and Asian (13%).

In 2026, 39 pupils (18.8%) received SEN support and 13 (6.3%) 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.

Orchard Primary School had 12 teachers in 2026, one for every 16 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Sidcup Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Knoll Road (->e), 110 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 166 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Bexley (284).

In 2024/25, Orchard Primary School issued 3 suspensions, 1.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Orchard Primary School are Kemnal Technology College (0.6 miles), Cleeve Park School (0.7 miles), Chislehurst School for Girls (0.9 miles) and Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School (1.1 miles).