Cranford Park Academy

About Cranford Park Academy

Cranford Park Academy is a large state primary in Hillingdon, currently home to 871 pupils against a capacity of 960, so it is running close to full but with a little headroom. A quarter of its students (25.2%) qualify for free school meals, which is significantly above the national average for primary schools and suggests a diverse intake with above-average levels of disadvantage. Demand is strong: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 176 applications for 108 places, with 104 of those coming as first preferences. That oversubscription ratio of 1.63 means it is a popular choice locally, though not among the most fiercely contested in the borough. The school has a nursery provision, so families can join from age three, and it is non-denominational with no religious character. Sarah Evans is the headteacher, and the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it Good overall, with leadership and management also judged Good.

Academically, the school performs solidly above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 69% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Hillingdon average of 64%. That places Cranford Park 22nd out of 55 primary schools in the borough, putting it in the top 40% locally and the top third nationally. The school’s ranking score of 69 is based on that combined expected standard metric. Looking at individual subjects, reading and maths are particular strengths: 85% of pupils met the expected standard in reading and 83% in maths, with average scaled scores of 106 and 107 respectively. Higher-standard attainment is more modest — 9% achieved the higher benchmark across all three subjects — but the school’s progress scores are not published, so it is hard to say how much value it adds relative to starting points. Its previous Ofsted inspection in 2010 rated it Outstanding, so the current Good rating represents a step down, though the 2023 ungraded inspection confirmed the school remains Good.

The school offers a decent range of facilities, including a library, playing fields, a sports hall, a sensory room and a Forest School area, which will appeal to families who want outdoor learning. Sports on offer include tennis, netball, athletics, cross-country, dance and swimming, and there are clubs for gardening, film and drama. For children with additional needs, the school lists provisions for moderate learning difficulties, speech, language and communication needs, autistic spectrum disorder, and social, emotional and mental health support — a broad offer that suggests it can accommodate a range of SEND. The oversubscription data shows that 104 first-preference applicants received offers, meaning almost all first-choice families got in, but anyone listing it lower would likely miss out. This is a large, inclusive school that suits families who value strong core results, a diverse community and a wide activities programme, but who are comfortable with a Good rather than Outstanding Ofsted rating.

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