Sir William Burrough Primary School, London
Sir William Burrough Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in London, part of University Schools Trust, East London. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 628th-highest of the 959 schools in London with published results, and 6,288th of 14,452 across England. It was 93% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Tower Hamlets (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Sir William Burrough Primary School in detail
Sir William Burrough Primary School in its own words
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care, from £2.00 per session.
Coming up: an open day on Monday 2 November 2026 at 1.45pm, an open day on Friday 6 November 2026 at 9.15am, an open day on Monday 9 November 2026 at 1.45pm and an open day on Friday 13 November 2026 at 9.15am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Tower Hamlets
Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 84% of Year 6 pupils at Sir William Burrough Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 74% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 82% and 82% in Tower Hamlets and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 91% in reading and 98% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Sir William Burrough Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 27 families put Sir William Burrough Primary School as their first choice and 58 named it as one of their preferences, for 28 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 Sir William Burrough Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Sir William Burrough Primary School are Stepney Greencoat Church of England Primary School (under 0.1 miles, Good, 78% reading, 61% maths); Cayley Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 78% reading, 85% maths); Cyril Jackson Primary School (0.3 miles, 77% reading, 70% maths); and Halley Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 75% reading, 86% maths).
Sir William Burrough Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Stepney Greencoat Church of England Primary SchoolCayley Primary SchoolCyril Jackson Primary SchoolHalley Primary School
The trust
Sir William Burrough Primary School is one of 7 schools run by University Schools Trust, East London, an academy trust.
What parents say
27 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Sir William Burrough Primary School (as of September 2025): 33% would recommend the school, 56% say their child is happy there and 27% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child does well at the school (67%); the weakest, that the school supports their child's wider development (22%).
Who goes there
87.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (84%) and Black (5%).
In 2026, 62 pupils (21.1%) received SEN support and 18 (6.1%) 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 tram or metro stop is Limehouse, about 380 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lowell Street, 140 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Sir William Burrough Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Sir William Burrough Primary School are Stepney All Saints Church of England Secondary School (0.5 miles), Mulberry Stepney Green Mathematics and Computing College (0.5 miles) and St Paul's Way Trust School (0.5 miles).
Stepney All Saints Church of England Secondary SchoolMulberry Stepney Green Mathematics and Computing CollegeSt Paul's Way Trust 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
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 · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is a peaceful, friendly school where children are genuinely happy and feel they belong. Staff have high expectations and really understand each child's individual needs, so pupils achieve well. The school excels at teaching reading through its phonics programme, and early years children get an outstanding start to their education with a strong focus on language development.
Key Strengths
- Pupils' behaviour is exemplary with very positive attitudes to learning and strong respect for staff and peers -
- Outstanding early years provision where children develop a genuine love of learning and strong communication skills -
- Effective phonics teaching and a strong emphasis on reading, with pupils reading age-appropriate texts with confidence and fluency -
- High staff expectations and thorough understanding of each pupil's individual needs, including those with SEND -
- Effective safeguarding arrangements where pupils feel safe and know they can approach trusted staff with worries
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils do not recall subject knowledge as securely because they don't have regular enough opportunities to revisit and consolidate their prior learning -
- Teaching checks on pupils' writing do not always address spelling and letter formation errors effectively
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with pupils feeling safe and knowing they can approach trusted staff with any worries.
Extracurricular Activities
Farm visits, museums in London, art projects, sporting competitions, musical performances, coding activities, class monitor and school council roles
Sir William Burrough Primary School is a calm, purposeful school where pupils enjoy learning and behave exceptionally well. The school has improved significantly since its previous inspection and now provides good quality education with outstanding early years provision.
At a Glance
28.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
27 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 91% to 84% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 98% to 74% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 84% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.6
Avg class size
27.0
Infant (KS1)
25.0
KS2
8
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Sir William Burrough Primary School
Term dates
Sir William Burrough Primary School is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Tower Hamlets's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Sir William Burrough Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Sir William Burrough Primary School is in Tower Hamlets; for families living there:
Apply to Tower Hamlets for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 256
- Fatal
- 3
- Serious
- 50
- Children hurt
- 10
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 256 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 3 fatal, 50 serious and 203 slight.
10 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
31 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 Tower Hamlets is 231 (the median across 115 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 Sir William Burrough Primary School
Will you get a place at Sir William Burrough Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Sir William Burrough Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Sir William Burrough Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Sir William Burrough Primary School.
- Tower Hamlets publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Sir William Burrough Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Sir William Burrough Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Tower Hamlets 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
93%
Near capacity
292 pupils
315 places
23 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 Tower Hamlets council
Places available
3,355
Applications
2,713
Got 1st preference
92.6%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All primary applications across Tower Hamlets council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
62
SEN Support
18
EHC Plans
27.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
294
Total Pupils
154
Boys
140
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
18.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£60,362
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,236
Per pupil
£2417k
Total funding
£155k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.8%
Overall absence
21.5%
Persistent absence
261
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
Sir William Burrough Primary School
Questions parents ask about Sir William Burrough Primary School
What are SATs results like at Sir William Burrough Primary School?
Of the pupils at Sir William Burrough Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 84% reached the expected standard in reading and 74% did so in maths.
What is Sir William Burrough Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Sir William Burrough Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Sir William Burrough Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Sir William Burrough Primary School is oversubscribed, Tower Hamlets allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Sir William Burrough Primary School?
Sir William Burrough Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 93% of its 315 places.
How big are the classes at Sir William Burrough Primary School?
Classes at Sir William Burrough Primary School average 24.6 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Sir William Burrough Primary School?
Sir William Burrough Primary School has around 294 pupils on roll. 29% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Sir William Burrough Primary School?
6.8% of sessions were missed at Sir William Burrough Primary School in 2024/25. 21.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Sir William Burrough Primary School?
Apply through Tower Hamlets's coordinated admissions process, naming Sir William Burrough 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.
How many road collisions happen near Sir William Burrough Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 256 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 3 fatal, 50 serious and 203 slight. 10 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 31 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 Tower Hamlets is 231 (the median across 115 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Sir William Burrough Primary School?
Sir William Burrough Primary School is at Salmon Lane, Limehouse, London, E14 7PQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)