St Margarets CofE Primary School, Barking
St Margarets CofE Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Barking, part of Genesis Education Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 11 schools in Barking with published results, and 582nd of 14,452 across England. It was 94% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
- 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 Barking and Dagenham (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Margarets CofE Primary School in detail
St Margarets CofE Primary School in its own words
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include multi-sports, karate, chess, STEM, art and homework club.
The school runs after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Saturday 21 November 2026 at 10am and an open day on Wednesday 6 January 2027 at 10am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Barking and Dagenham
Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 91% of Year 6 pupils at St Margarets CofE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 98% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 81% and 80% in Barking and Dagenham and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (91% in reading, 95% in maths).
Getting a place at St Margarets CofE Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 56 families put St Margarets CofE Primary School as their first choice and 145 named it as one of their preferences, for 59 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 St Margarets CofE Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Margarets CofE Primary School are St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 100% reading, 100% maths); Northbury Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 79% reading, 82% maths); Gascoigne Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 73% reading, 73% maths); and Greatfields Primary School (0.5 miles).
St Margarets CofE Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
St Joseph's Catholic Primary SchoolNorthbury Primary SchoolGascoigne Primary SchoolGreatfields Primary School
The trust
St Margarets CofE Primary School is one of 3 schools run by Genesis Education Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 93% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
47 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Margarets CofE Primary School (as of September 2025): 98% would recommend the school, 98% say their child is happy there and 71% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (71%).
Who goes there
53.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (39%), Asian (36%) and Mixed (14%).
In 2026, 75 pupils (19.1%) received SEN support and 8 (2%) 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 Underground station is Barking Underground Station, about 490 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Barking Abbey, 70 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 916 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Barking and Dagenham (470), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Margarets CofE Primary School issued 1 suspension, 0.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Margarets CofE Primary School are Langdon Academy (0.4 miles), Greatfields School (0.5 miles), Eastbury Community School (0.8 miles) and Loxford School (1.1 miles).
Langdon AcademyGreatfields SchoolEastbury Community SchoolLoxford School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from March 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school has improved significantly.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Margarets offers a rich curriculum taught by skilled teachers who check understanding carefully and help pupils apply learning across subjects. Reading is prioritised from Reception onwards, with excellent phonics teaching and high-quality texts that spark children's love of books. The school genuinely values every child and provides numerous enrichment activities to build confidence and character.
Key Strengths
- Highly ambitious and rich curriculum that exceeds national standards with expert teaching of all subjects
- Exceptional phonics and reading teaching that gives children a strong start and develops a genuine love of reading
- Exemplary pupil behaviour with pupils showing great respect, politeness and focus in lessons
- Strong support for pupils with special educational needs, with learning carefully adapted so all pupils thrive
- Pupils given numerous leadership roles and opportunities to develop confidence, creativity and key life skills
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
rock wall climbing, public speaking events
St Margarets CofE Primary School is a welcoming and inspiring school committed to providing an exceptional education where pupils from all backgrounds and cultures thrive. Evidence suggests the school's work has improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection.
At a Glance
18.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
47 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 remained stable at around 91% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 98% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 93% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.1
Avg class size
28.2
Infant (KS1)
28.0
KS2
14
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Margarets CofE Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Margarets CofE Primary School.
- Junior Adventures Group @ Gascoigne IG11510m away · Not yet graded
- Ctm590m away · Not yet graded
- Greatfields - Premier Education810m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Margarets CofE Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Margarets CofE Primary School is in Barking and Dagenham; for families living there:
Apply to Barking and Dagenham for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 210
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 20
- Children hurt
- 11
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 210 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 20 serious and 190 slight.
11 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 6 in a vehicle or otherwise.
36 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 Barking and Dagenham is 65 (the median across 68 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 St Margarets CofE Primary School
Will you get a place at St Margarets CofE Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Margarets CofE Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Margarets CofE Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Margarets CofE Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Barking and Dagenham, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Margarets CofE Primary School for 2017 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Barking and Dagenham 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
94%
Near capacity
393 pupils
420 places
27 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Barking
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Barking
Across Barking and Dagenham council
Places available
3,884
Applications
2,970
Got 1st preference
95.3%
Got preferred school
99.3%
All primary applications across Barking and Dagenham council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
75
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
21.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
393
Total Pupils
193
Boys
200
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
19
Teachers
20.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£64,207
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,188
Per pupil
£2677k
Total funding
£124k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.8%
Overall absence
15.8%
Persistent absence
366
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
St Margarets CofE Primary School
Questions parents ask about St Margarets CofE Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Margarets CofE Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Margarets CofE Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 91% reached the expected standard in reading and 98% did so in maths.
What is St Margarets CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Margarets CofE Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Margarets CofE Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Margarets CofE Primary School is oversubscribed, Barking and Dagenham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Margarets CofE Primary School?
St Margarets CofE Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 94% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at St Margarets CofE Primary School?
Classes at St Margarets CofE Primary School average 28.1 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Margarets CofE Primary School?
St Margarets CofE Primary School has around 393 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Margarets CofE Primary School?
4.8% of sessions were missed at St Margarets CofE Primary School in 2024/25. 15.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Margarets CofE Primary School?
Apply through Barking and Dagenham's coordinated admissions process, naming St Margarets CofE 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 St Margarets CofE Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 3 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of St Margarets CofE Primary School: Junior Adventures Group @ Gascoigne IG11 (510m away, registered, not yet graded), Ctm (590m away, registered, not yet graded) and Greatfields - Premier Education (810m 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 St Margarets CofE Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 210 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 20 serious and 190 slight. 11 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 6 in a vehicle or otherwise. 36 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 Barking and Dagenham is 65 (the median across 68 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Margarets CofE Primary School?
St Margarets CofE Primary School is at 15-19 North Street, Barking, Essex, IG11 8AS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)