Dawlish Primary School

About Dawlish Primary School

Dawlish Primary School in Waltham Forest is a smaller-than-average state primary, with 180 pupils against a capacity of 210, leaving some physical room for growth. Its intake reflects a notably high level of disadvantage: 31.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national primary average of around 23%. The school is clearly in demand locally — for the 2025/26 reception intake, it received 119 applications for just 30 places, an oversubscription ratio of nearly 4:1. However, only 17 of those applicants listed it as their first preference, and exactly 17 first-preference offers were made, meaning every family who put it top got a place. This suggests a school that is popular but not yet a first-choice powerhouse, sitting 36th out of 48 primaries in the local authority’s rankings. It is a mixed, non-religious community school for ages 4 to 11, led by headteacher Prue Barnes Kemp.

Academically, Dawlish performs around the middle of the pack. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 68% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — slightly below the Waltham Forest local authority average of 74%. The school’s ranking of 36th out of 48 primaries in the borough places it in the bottom quarter locally, and nationally it sits in the 37th percentile. That said, individual subject scores are more encouraging: average reading and maths scaled scores of 105 and 103 respectively are in line with national norms, and 82% of pupils met the expected standard in maths specifically. The proportion reaching the higher standard in all three subjects is just 9%, though 32% did so in reading and 27% in maths. Progress measures are not available, so it is hard to say how much value the school adds, but the most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated overall effectiveness as Good, a clear improvement from the Requires Improvement grade it received in 2015.

The school offers a solid range of facilities and activities that give it a distinctive feel. There is a Forest School, a sensory room, an ICT suite, art studios and even a chapel — unusual for a non-religious state primary. Sports include swimming, gymnastics and athletics, while clubs run the gamut from chess and drama to gardening and eco club. The school has identified four specific SEND provisions, covering dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, and speech, language and communication issues. For families weighing up options, the nearest Outstanding-rated school is Newport School, just 0.4 km away, so Dawlish faces stiff competition. It will suit parents who value a Good-rated, inclusive community school with strong extracurricular breadth and a clear focus on supporting pupils with additional needs, rather than those prioritising top-tier academic results.

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