Fern Hill Primary School

About Fern Hill Primary School

Fern Hill Primary School in Kingston upon Thames is a state primary for mixed pupils aged 3 to 11, currently home to 671 children against a capacity of 682. That near-full roll is no surprise given the demand: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 269 applications for just 90 places, an oversubscription ratio of nearly 3 to 1. Only 77 of those offers went to first-preference families, suggesting fierce competition even among local parents. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals sits at 9.3%, which is notably below the national average for primary schools (typically around 23%) and reflects the relatively affluent catchment. The school is non-religious and co-educational, with a nursery on site. Headteacher Adam Scott leads a school that has held an Outstanding rating from Ofsted since at least 2008, and its most recent graded inspection in December 2023 confirmed that standard across every category — quality of education, behaviour, personal development, early years provision, and leadership all scored the top grade of 1.

Academically, Fern Hill performs well above the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 77% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the Kingston upon Thames LA average of 66%. That puts the school 4th out of 27 primary schools in the borough, placing it in the top 15% locally and the top 16% nationally. Subject-level results are strong too: 90% met the expected standard in maths, with an average scaled score of 109, and 85% did so in reading (average score 108). At the higher standard, 52% of pupils achieved that level in maths and 46% in reading, though writing at the higher level was lower at 14%. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it is not possible to say how much value the school adds beyond these attainment figures. The school does not have a sixth form, as is typical for a primary, and its nursery provision means children can join from age three.

The school offers a broad set of facilities including a Forest School, ICT suite, sensory room, library, music rooms, sports hall and even a chapel. Sports on the curriculum include swimming, football, cross country, netball, gymnastics and cricket, while clubs range from book club and gardening to drama and film club. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists SEND provisions covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health support, physical disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder. With an oversubscription ratio of nearly 3:1, families living close to the school or with a strong local connection will have a clear advantage at application. Fern Hill is a strong fit for parents who prioritise high academic outcomes in a well-resourced setting and are prepared to navigate a competitive admissions process.

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