Benedict Academy

About Benedict Academy

Benedict Academy sits in the London borough of Merton and, according to the most recent data, is the top-ranked primary school in the local authority out of 42 schools. It also ranks first in the London region and 11th nationally. Its closest competitors in Merton are Park Academy, St Mary's Catholic Primary School and Merton Park Primary School, all of which score highly but sit below Benedict Academy in the rankings. The school is led by headteacher Nadia El-Telbani and caters for 183 pupils aged 3 to 11, with capacity for 240. It is a non-religious state primary with a nursery provision. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024, the school was judged Outstanding across every category that was graded: quality of education, early years provision, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management. This is a significant turnaround from its previous inspection in 2019, when the school was rated Inadequate overall.

Academically, Benedict Academy’s Key Stage 2 results are exceptionally strong. In the 2023/24 academic year, 100% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the Merton local authority average of 68%. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined was 30%, with 57% reaching the higher standard in maths and 52% in reading. Average scores in reading and maths both stood at 111. The school’s performance places it in the top five per cent nationally, with a ranking score of 100 based on the KS2 expected standard metric. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: 96% of respondents would recommend the school, and 93% strongly agreed that their child does well there. In the Parent View survey, 89% strongly agreed that the school has high expectations for their child, and 85% strongly agreed that their child feels safe.

The school is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, with 37 applications for 19 places and 17 first-preference offers made. Facilities include an ICT suite, gymnasium, music rooms and a Forest School. Sports on offer range from football and athletics to tennis, netball and rounders, and clubs include gardening, book club and art club. The school has a range of SEND provisions, including support for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and hearing impairment. With a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 65.5%, the school serves a diverse community. Benedict Academy is best suited to families in Merton who want a primary school with strong academic outcomes, a clear focus on behaviour and personal development, and a proven track record of turning around previous challenges.

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