The Olive School, Hackney, London
The Olive School, Hackney is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in London, part of Star Academies. It has a Muslim religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 114th-highest of the 959 schools in London with published results, and 814th of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2015)
- 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 Hackney (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Olive School, Hackney in detail
The Olive School, Hackney in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Join our team and we promise a rewarding experience in return. Read more › Keep up to date with what is going on and when. Read more › The Olive School, Hackney is a Muslim faith primary school, established in response to community demand for high-quality education that meets the aspirations of local families."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, swimming, multi-sports, ballet, choir, Lego, STEM, eco club and debating.
The school runs a breakfast club.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 92% of Year 6 pupils at The Olive School, Hackney reached the expected standard in reading and 94% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 84% and 82% in Hackney and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (90% in reading, 95% in maths).
Getting a place at The Olive School, Hackney
For September 2026 entry, 78 families put The Olive School, Hackney as their first choice and 126 named it as one of their preferences, for 85 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 The Olive School, Hackney
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to The Olive School, Hackney are St John and St James CofE Primary School (0.2 miles, Outstanding, 83% reading, 69% maths); Morningside Primary School (0.3 miles, Outstanding, 88% reading, 74% maths); Millfields Community School (0.4 miles, Good, 83% reading, 78% maths); and Berger Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 80% reading, 78% maths).
The Olive School, Hackney's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
St John and St James CofE Primary SchoolMorningside Primary SchoolMillfields Community SchoolBerger Primary School
The trust
The Olive School, Hackney is one of 36 schools run by Star Academies, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 85% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
109 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Olive School, Hackney (as of September 2025): 94% would recommend the school, 95% say their child is happy there and 64% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (95%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (64%).
Who goes there
54.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 50.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (35%), Black (29%) and Mixed (16%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hackney Central Station, about 350 metres away (roughly a 4-minute walk).
22 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hackney Baths, 80 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Olive School, Hackney issued 9 suspensions, 1.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to The Olive School, Hackney are The City Academy, Hackney (0.2 miles); Cardinal Pole Catholic School (0.3 miles); Clapton Girls' Academy (0.3 miles); and The Urswick School - A Church of England Secondary School (0.4 miles).
The City Academy, HackneyCardinal Pole Catholic SchoolClapton Girls' AcademyThe Urswick School - A Church of England Secondary 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); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from May 2015, 11 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
This school stands out for its ambitious approach to all subjects, ensuring children build deep knowledge and understanding over time. Staff are exceptionally well-trained experts who teach clearly and quickly address any misconceptions. The school creates a caring community where pupils show genuine respect for each other and have wonderful opportunities to broaden their horizons through visits, clubs, and enrichment activities.
Key Strengths
- Highly ambitious curriculum that exceeds national expectations, with precise sequencing to build deep knowledge over time
- Exceptional focus on reading with expertly trained staff delivering phonics consistently, resulting in pupils reading with accuracy and fluency
- Outstanding behaviour and attendance with clear expectations understood and applied by all pupils from Reception onwards
- Highly responsive support for pupils with SEND, ensuring they are included in all aspects of school life
- Extensive enrichment opportunities including university visits, debating, poetry competitions, choir, and well-planned educational trips
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with clear procedures in place and a positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Debating, poetry competitions, choir, ballet (early years), reading ambassadors programme, playground buddies, university visits, enrichment talks from professionals in medicine and robotics, Kew Gardens visits, breakfast club, after-school club
The Olive School, Hackney is an outstanding primary academy where pupils are exceptionally proud members of the community, behave impeccably, and achieve highly across all areas of their education.
At a Glance
54.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
109 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 92% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 94% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 92% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.0
Avg class size
29.9
Infant (KS1)
30.0
KS2
21
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from The Olive School, Hackney
The Olive School, Hackney pupil wins Key Stage 1 Books and Brushes competition with creative cover design
17 Jul 2026
Igniting pupils’ cosmic curiosity through the Star Innovators Challenge
16 Mar 2026
Star Voices shine in collaboration with international artist Zain Bhikha
13 Mar 2026
Year 3 pupils channel Champions League heroics at Arsenal Football Festival
‘Outstanding’ in every way - Ofsted praises The Olive School, Hackney
Star pupils strengthen skills through Debate Mate programme
From The Olive School, Hackney's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with The Olive School, Hackney
Before and after school care
The Olive School, Hackney is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Hackney
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The Olive School, Hackney.
- YH Learning HomertonAt the school · Not yet graded
- ShowKids- Old School Rooms370m away · Not yet graded
- Direct Stars470m away · Not yet graded
- ShowKids- Stormont House School570m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Olive School, Hackney from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Olive School, Hackney is in Hackney; for families living there:
Apply to Hackney for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 324
- Fatal
- 2
- Serious
- 44
- Children hurt
- 21
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 324 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 2 fatal, 44 serious and 278 slight.
21 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 8 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 12 in a vehicle or otherwise.
54 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 Hackney is 169 (the median across 105 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 The Olive School, Hackney
Will you get a place at The Olive School, Hackney? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Olive School, Hackney's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Olive School, Hackney:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Olive School, Hackney.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Hackney, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Olive School, Hackney for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Hackney 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.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
99%
Near capacity
625 pupils
630 places
5 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 Hackney council
Places available
2,405
Applications
1,677
Got 1st preference
88.1%
Got preferred school
98.4%
All primary applications across Hackney council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
93
SEN Support
35
EHC Plans
20.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
629
Total Pupils
305
Boys
324
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
30
Teachers
21.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,953
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,971
Per pupil
£4936k
Total funding
£391k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.3%
Overall absence
8.8%
Persistent absence
546
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 The Olive School, Hackney
What are SATs results like at The Olive School, Hackney?
Of the pupils at The Olive School, Hackney who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 92% reached the expected standard in reading and 94% did so in maths.
What is The Olive School, Hackney's Ofsted rating?
The Olive School, Hackney's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2015, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for The Olive School, Hackney?
No fixed boundary. When The Olive School, Hackney is oversubscribed, Hackney allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at The Olive School, Hackney?
The Olive School, Hackney was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at The Olive School, Hackney?
Classes at The Olive School, Hackney average 30 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to The Olive School, Hackney?
The Olive School, Hackney has around 629 pupils on roll. 54% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Olive School, Hackney?
4.3% of sessions were missed at The Olive School, Hackney in 2024/25. 8.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Olive School, Hackney?
Apply through Hackney's coordinated admissions process, naming The Olive School, Hackney 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 The Olive School, Hackney have a breakfast club or after-school club?
The Olive School, Hackney is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: YH Learning Homerton (registered, not yet graded). There are 3 more within a kilometre.
How many road collisions happen near The Olive School, Hackney?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 324 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 2 fatal, 44 serious and 278 slight. 21 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 8 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 12 in a vehicle or otherwise. 54 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 Hackney is 169 (the median across 105 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Olive School, Hackney?
The Olive School, Hackney is at 32 St Johns Church Road, Hackney, London, E9 6EJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)