Colindale Primary School

About Colindale Primary School

Colindale Primary School is clearly a popular choice among local families. In the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 264 applications for just 84 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.14. Of those applicants, 100 put it as their first preference, and 75 of those were offered a place. That level of demand suggests parents who know the school well are keen to secure a spot. The school is a large state primary in Barnet, with 723 pupils on roll against a capacity of 630, so it is running well above its official number. It has a nursery provision for children from age two, which may be a draw for families looking for continuity from early years through to Year 6. The headteacher is Jane Palmer, and the school has no religious character.

Academically, Colindale is a solid performer, though not among the very top in the borough. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 67% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That is below the Barnet local authority average of 73%, and places the school 55th out of 80 primaries in the LA on this metric. At the higher standard, just 7% achieved that combined benchmark. Looking at individual subjects, maths was the strongest area: 81% met the expected standard and 28% reached the higher standard, with an average scaled score of 106. Reading and writing were slightly weaker, with 80% and 71% at expected respectively. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in July 2023, confirmed it remains Good, a rating it has held since at least its previous graded inspection in 2014.

The school offers a wide range of facilities and activities that many families will find appealing. There is a sensory room, art studios, a dining hall, playing fields and even a chapel. Sports on offer include swimming, tennis, cricket, netball, athletics, dance and football, and there is a good selection of clubs such as science, coding, eco club, chess and gardening. For children with additional needs, Colindale has a resourced provision and supports a broad spectrum of SEND, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, hearing impairment and physical disability. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary is The Hyde School, 0.7 km away, so families who prioritise that top grade may want to compare. But for those who value a large, well-subscribed community school with strong extracurricular breadth and a nursery on site, Colindale is a pragmatic and popular option.

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