Bishop Perrin Church of England Primary School

About Bishop Perrin Church of England Primary School

Bishop Perrin Church of England Primary School is a state primary in the London borough of Richmond upon Thames, and it is operating very close to full capacity. With 209 pupils on roll against a school capacity of 210, there is virtually no slack in the system. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 12 per cent, which is slightly above the national average for primary schools but sits within the context of a relatively affluent borough. Demand for places is intense: for entry in the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 101 applications for just 30 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.37. Of those applicants, 29 were first-preference choices, meaning almost every place went to a family who had ranked the school top. This level of competition signals a school that local parents clearly hold in high regard, and the school’s Church of England character may be a factor for some families, though the data does not specify any faith-based admissions criteria.

Academically, Bishop Perrin is a strong performer, and its most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2024 awarded the top grade of Outstanding across every category: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This is a clean sweep, and the school has held an Outstanding rating since at least its previous inspection in 2012. At Key Stage 2, 66 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the local authority average of 76 per cent. However, average scores in reading and maths both sit at 106, comfortably above the national benchmark of 100. A notable 34 per cent of pupils achieved the higher standard in reading and in maths, while 17 per cent did so in writing. In the Richmond upon Thames rankings, the school places 31st out of 38 primary schools on the combined expected standard metric, which places it in the bottom quarter of a very high-performing local authority.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a library, sensory room, art studios, gymnasium, playing fields and a chapel, which reflects its Church of England foundation. Sports provision covers cross country, football, cricket, swimming, dance, rounders and athletics, and there are clubs for chess, coding and art. For children with additional needs, the school has designated SEND provision for social, emotional and mental health, speech, language and communication, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. The school does not have a nursery or a sixth form, and it is not a boarding school. Given the high oversubscription rate, families considering Bishop Perrin should be prepared to apply as a first preference to have a realistic chance of a place. This is a school that suits families who value a strong Church of England ethos, a full range of facilities, and a track record of outstanding Ofsted grades, but who are also comfortable with a school that, while strong, sits in the middle of the pack within a very competitive local authority.

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