Rathfern Primary School, London

Primary
Community school
Mixed
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~333m)Possible (~476m)Unlikely (~619m)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Naheeda Maharasingam
Pupils:484 / 515 capacity
LA:Lewisham
Phone:02086903759
Address:Rathfern Road, Catford, London, SE6 4NL
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 8 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Strong Standard
Behaviour
Strong Standard
Personal Development
Strong Standard
Leadership
Strong Standard
Early Years
Strong Standard
Inspected 20 January 2026View full report
URN:100700
UKPRN:10074629
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Lewisham East
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Rathfern Primary School excels at making every child feel valued and safe. With attendance well above national averages and consistently positive behaviour throughout the school, your child will be in a purposeful learning environment. The school's strong focus on reading, phonics and language development, combined with careful support for individual needs, means all pupils make excellent progress regardless of their background.

Key Strengths

  • Excellent attendance rates above national average, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND
  • Consistently positive behaviour and strong engagement in learning across all areas of the school
  • Well-considered, ambitious curriculum with careful sequencing and strong focus on language development
  • High-quality early years provision with excellent phonics teaching and language development
  • Highly inclusive approach with robust systems for identifying and meeting individual pupil needs
  • Strong leadership with clear moral purpose focused on equity and cultural capital for all pupils

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

Extra-curricular clubs, visits, workshops, performances, RE ambassadors, pupil parliament, eco council, prefect roles

Rathfern Primary School is a highly effective school where leaders are committed to providing excellent education for all pupils, with particular success in supporting disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs. The school creates a safe, purposeful learning environment with strong attendance, positive behaviour, and a well-planned ambitious curriculum.

At a Glance

21.2%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+28ppMaths+16ppWriting+16pp

Reading has improved from 59% to 87%. Maths has improved from 69% to 85%. Writing has improved from 69% to 85%.

Class Sizes

28.9

Avg class size

30.0

Infant (KS1)

28.8

KS2

15

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Catford (Entrance)
548m · 9 min walk
Catford Rail Station
567m · 9 min walk
Catford Bridge (Entrance)
643m · 10 min walk

Bus Stops

Blythe Vale (Stop K)
89m · 1 min walk
Beechfield Road (Stop T)
172m · 3 min walk
St Dunstans College (Stop J)
196m · 3 min walk
Elm Lane (Stop S)
202m · 3 min walk
Vancouver Road (Stop U)
264m · 4 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

94%

Near capacity

484 pupils

515 capacity

31 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - London

Low pressure
New homes approved:104,823
Projected new pupils:26,206

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for London

Admissions Demand - Lewisham

Low demand0.84x oversubscription

Places available

3,494

Applications

2,939

Got 1st preference

90.0%

Got preferred school

99.2%

Primary admissions across Lewisham (2025/26)

Inspection History(8)

20 January 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Early Years
28 September 2021
8 December 2015
OutstandingReport
Leadership & ManagementOutstanding

House Prices

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

3.71235%

Overall absence

6.13208%

Persistent absence

424

Enrolments

Authorised2.90092%
Unauthorised0.81142%
Persistent (10%+)6.13208%
Severe (50%+)0%

Absence trend

3.77445%
18/19
3.44662%
20/21
5.06974%
21/22
4.1806%
22/23
3.48606%
23/24
3.71235%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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