Kilmorie Primary School

About Kilmorie Primary School

Kilmorie Primary School in Lewisham is a state primary that is clearly in demand among local families. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 236 applications for 90 places, with 86 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.62. Its current roll of 629 pupils sits below the school’s capacity of 700, suggesting there is still some room for expansion. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 11 per cent, which is notably lower than the national average for primary schools, indicating a relatively less disadvantaged intake compared with many schools in the borough. The school is mixed-gender, non-denominational, and caters for children from age three through to eleven, with nursery provision available. Dennis Irwin is the headteacher.

Academically, Kilmorie performs solidly against local benchmarks. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 63 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, just one point below the Lewisham local authority average of 64 per cent. The school’s average scores were 107 in reading and 104 in maths, both above the national floor standards. At the higher standard, 36 per cent of pupils achieved a high score in reading, while 20 per cent did so in maths. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2024, the school was rated Good overall, with all inspected categories — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — all judged as Good. This represents a downgrade from its previous Outstanding rating in 2017, but the school remains one of the better-performing primaries in Lewisham, ranking 34th out of 67 similar schools in the borough.

The school offers a broad range of facilities and activities that give a sense of its character. There is a Forest School, playing fields, an outdoor playground, and even a chapel on site. Sports provision includes gymnastics, football, cricket, swimming, dance and athletics, while clubs extend to chess, choir, art and gardening. Kilmorie’s SEND support is comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate to severe learning difficulties, speech and language needs, autistic spectrum disorder, and physical or sensory impairments. For families considering the school, the nearest Outstanding-rated alternative is Rathfern Primary School, 0.6 km away. Given its oversubscription, parents should be prepared to apply early and list it as a first preference. Kilmorie suits families looking for a well-resourced primary with strong pastoral support and a clear academic focus, set in a popular London borough.

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