Ivydale Primary School

About Ivydale Primary School

Ivydale Primary School sits comfortably above the local authority average for Key Stage 2 outcomes, with 70% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with Southwark’s average of 68%. That two-percentage-point gap might sound modest, but it places the school 26th out of 67 primaries in the borough — solidly in the top half. More striking is the proportion of pupils hitting the higher standard: just 8% nationally typical, and here it’s also 8%, so the school isn’t pushing large numbers into the top tier, but it is reliably getting most children to where they need to be. Reading scores are a particular strength, with an average scaled score of 107 and 41% of pupils reaching the higher standard. Maths follows at 105 average, with 25% at the higher level. The school ranks 27th in Southwark on the expected-standard metric, which puts it in the 45th percentile locally and around the 31st percentile nationally — a dependable, middle-of-the-road performer that outperforms the LA average without being among the borough’s elite.

The school’s most recent graded Ofsted inspection, in 2019, rated it Good overall, with Good for leadership and management, early years provision and personal development. A subsequent ungraded inspection in July 2024 confirmed it remains Good. That’s a notable improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2017, when it was judged Requires Improvement overall, with early years provision and leadership both rated Requires Improvement at that time. So the trajectory is clearly upward. Progress scores aren’t available in the data, so it’s hard to say how much value the school adds for individual pupils, but the KS2 outcomes suggest a steady, competent academic offering. The school has 466 pupils against a capacity of 540, so there’s some slack, but it is oversubscribed: 175 applications for 73 places in 2025/26, with 64 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.4. That level of demand suggests local families see it as a reliable choice.

Facilities are generous for a state primary: a library, playing fields, gymnasium, art studios, a sensory room, forest school and even a chapel. Sports include swimming, netball, cross country and athletics, and clubs run the gamut from art and science to eco and coding. The school’s SEND provision is broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder and social, emotional and mental health support. That makes it a genuinely inclusive option for families whose children need extra help. With nursery provision on site, it can take children from age three. The headteacher is Judith Lambert. For parents in Southwark who want a solid, improving primary that’s above the LA average, oversubscribed but not impossible to get into, and with strong SEND support, Ivydale is a sensible contender — especially if the very top-performing schools like Boutcher or Cathedral School feel out of reach.

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