Pelham Primary School, Bexleyheath
Pelham Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Bexleyheath, part of Illuminate Minds Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2011. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 5th-highest of the 9 schools in Bexleyheath with published results, and 7,842nd of 14,452 across England. It was 91% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2011)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Bexley (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Pelham Primary School in detail
Pelham Primary School in its own words
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care, from £4.00 per session.
Coming up: an open day on Friday 11 December 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Bexley
Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 76% of Year 6 pupils at Pelham Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 76% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 76% in Bexley and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 87% in reading and 82% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Pelham Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 39 families put Pelham Primary School as their first choice and 86 named it as one of their preferences, for 42 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 Pelham Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Pelham Primary School are Gravel Hill Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 61% reading, 64% maths); Upland Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 82% reading, 65% maths); Bursted Wood Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 82% reading, 87% maths); and St Thomas More Catholic Primary School (0.7 miles, 90% reading, 89% maths).
Pelham Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Gravel Hill Primary SchoolUpland Primary SchoolBursted Wood Primary SchoolSt Thomas More Catholic Primary School
The trust
Pelham Primary School is one of 2 schools run by Illuminate Minds Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
120 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Pelham Primary School (as of September 2025): 78% would recommend the school, 90% say their child is happy there and 66% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (93%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (66%).
Who goes there
43.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (40%), Asian (26%) and Mixed (10%).
In 2026, 35 pupils (8.9%) received SEN support and 12 (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.
Pelham Primary School has a resourced provision for hearing impairment: 8 places, 5 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Barnehurst Station, about 940 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
21 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Tower Road, 180 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Pelham 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 Pelham Primary School are Lift Bexleyheath (0.2 miles), St Catherine's Catholic School (0.5 miles), St Columba's Catholic Boys' School (0.6 miles) and Townley Grammar School (0.7 miles).
Lift BexleyheathSt Catherine's Catholic SchoolSt Columba's Catholic Boys' SchoolTownley Grammar School
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); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Bexley published that the last place for 2022 entry went to a family 1.551 miles away (straight line). The cut-off moves every year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from July 2011, 15 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Pelham Primary School creates a warm, inclusive environment where children thrive. The school excels at early years education, giving young children a flying start, and has excellent phonics teaching that gets pupils reading fluently. The school is particularly impressive in supporting children with additional needs, including deaf pupils, and offers a wide range of clubs and trips to develop every child's talents and interests.
Key Strengths
- Excellent early years provision with clear routines and purposeful learning activities - children settle quickly and are well prepared for the next stage
- Strong teaching of reading with high-quality phonics instruction, exciting library provision, and quick support for struggling readers
- Ambitious support for pupils with SEND, including a specially resourced provision for deaf pupils where British Sign Language is used throughout the school
- Broad curriculum with thoughtfully designed enrichment activities including museum visits, workshops, and a wide range of clubs
- Positive behaviour promoted in a calm, supportive environment where pupils learn to manage emotions and make good choices
Areas for Improvement
- Limited opportunities for pupils in Years 1 to 6 to practise and consolidate their learning in sufficient depth before moving on to new topics
- In some foundation subjects, teaching does not provide enough practice opportunities for pupils to secure and remember important knowledge
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Coding, cricket, board games, cinema, author visits, book fairs, reading with dog mentors, museum trips, local landmark visits, workshops on Vikings and the environment, virtual reality activities, breakfast clubs, after-school clubs, Pelham Passport (50 things to experience)
Pelham Primary School is a warm and welcoming school where pupils behave sensibly, feel happy and safe, and achieve well particularly in English and mathematics. The early years provision is outstanding, with children settling quickly and receiving a strong foundation for their learning.
At a Glance
18.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: Hearing
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
120 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 87% to 76% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 82% to 76% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 62% to 78% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.0
Avg class size
22.8
Infant (KS1)
28.4
KS2
15
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Pelham Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Pelham Primary School.
- Cherry Tree Kids Club at Gravel Hill Primary School620m away · Not yet graded
- First Class Learning Bexleyheath620m away · Not yet graded
- Cherry Tree Kids Club @ Upland Primary School880m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Pelham Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Pelham Primary School is in Bexley; for families living there:
Apply to Bexley for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 78
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 9
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 78 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 68 slight.
9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
15 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 Bexley is 28.5 (the median across 92 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 Pelham Primary School
Will you get a place at Pelham Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Pelham Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Pelham Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Pelham Primary School.
- Last distance offered for 2022 entry, from Bexley's own figures, and how your distance compares each year.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Pelham Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Bexley 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
91%
Near capacity
384 pupils
420 places
36 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Bexleyheath
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bexleyheath
Across Bexley council
Places available
3,221
Applications
2,637
Got 1st preference
91.4%
Got preferred school
98.4%
All primary applications across Bexley council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
35
SEN Support
12
EHC Plans
11.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pelham Primary School has a resourced provision for hearing impairment: 8 places, 5 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
394
Total Pupils
189
Boys
205
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
21
Teachers
18.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£59,603
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,439
Per pupil
£2344k
Total funding
£95k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.3%
Overall absence
16.3%
Persistent absence
369
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 Pelham Primary School
What are SATs results like at Pelham Primary School?
Of the pupils at Pelham Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 76% reached the expected standard in reading and 76% did so in maths.
What is Pelham Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Pelham Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2011, it was rated Good.
How close to Pelham Primary School do you need to live?
Bexley published for September 2022 entry that the last place offered at Pelham Primary School on distance went to a family 1.551 miles away. This is the authority's own figure for one year, not a fixed boundary - the cut-off moves with the number of applications, so treat it as a guide rather than a guarantee.
Is it hard to get a place at Pelham Primary School?
Pelham Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 91% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at Pelham Primary School?
Classes at Pelham Primary School average 26 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 Pelham Primary School?
Pelham Primary School has around 394 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Pelham Primary School have specialist SEN provision?
Pelham Primary School has a resourced provision for hearing impairment: 8 places, 5 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Pelham Primary School?
5.3% of sessions were missed at Pelham Primary School in 2024/25. 16.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Pelham Primary School?
Apply through Bexley's coordinated admissions process, naming Pelham 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 Pelham Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 3 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Pelham Primary School: Cherry Tree Kids Club at Gravel Hill Primary School (620m away, registered, not yet graded), First Class Learning Bexleyheath (620m away, registered, not yet graded) and Cherry Tree Kids Club @ Upland Primary School (880m 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 Pelham Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 78 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 68 slight. 9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 15 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 Bexley is 28.5 (the median across 92 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Pelham Primary School?
Pelham Primary School is at Pelham Road, Bexleyheath, Kent, DA7 4HL.
Sources: Bexley admissions booklet; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)