Alfred Salter Primary School

About Alfred Salter Primary School

Alfred Salter Primary School is clearly a popular choice among local families, with 152 applications for just 45 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.38. Of those applicants, 37 put the school as their first preference, and all 37 received an offer. That level of demand suggests a strong reputation in the community, and it’s backed up by the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024, which confirmed it remains Good. That’s a notable improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2019, when it was rated Requires Improvement. Under headteacher Eleanor Prestage, leadership and management, early years provision, and overall effectiveness are all now rated Good. The school serves a diverse intake, with 29% of pupils eligible for free school meals, and it provides nursery provision for children from age three.

Academically, Alfred Salter performs around the middle of the pack for Southwark primary schools. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 65% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, just below the local authority average of 68%. That places the school 34th out of 60 primary schools in Southwark, and 5,928th nationally out of 13,686. Scores in individual subjects are solid: average reading and maths scores both sit at 105, with 76% of pupils reaching the expected standard in maths and writing, and 71% in reading. At the higher standard, 31% achieved in reading, 27% in maths, and 14% in writing, while 10% hit the higher benchmark across all three subjects. Progress scores aren’t available in the data, so it’s hard to say how much value the school adds, but the results are respectable for a school with a higher-than-average proportion of disadvantaged pupils.

The school is well equipped, with a library, art studios, music rooms, an ICT suite, playing fields, and an outdoor playground, plus a chapel on site. Sports include tennis, rounders, gymnastics, cross country and cricket, and there’s a decent range of clubs from coding and eco club to gardening and book club. For SEND, the school supports a broad range of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. If you’re considering alternatives, the nearest Outstanding-rated school is St John’s Roman Catholic Primary, just 0.2 km away. Alfred Salter is a solid, improving option for families who want a genuinely inclusive local primary with good facilities and a clear upward trajectory, especially if oversubscription doesn’t put you off applying early.

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