Livingstone Primary and Nursery School

About Livingstone Primary and Nursery School

Livingstone Primary and Nursery School is a school that parents clearly want to get into. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 180 applications for just 28 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 6.43. Of those, 62 families put it as their first preference, and 27 first-preference offers were made. That level of demand is a strong signal from the local community. The school is a state primary for mixed genders, ages 3 to 11, in the London borough of Barnet. It has a nursery provision, which will appeal to families looking for continuity from early years through to Year 6. The headteacher is Giovanna Phelan, and the school has no religious character. With 249 pupils on roll against a capacity of 305, there is some physical room, but the application numbers show that securing a place is highly competitive.

Academically, Livingstone has strong outcomes. In its most recent Ofsted inspection, which took place in 2023, the school was rated Outstanding across every category: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This is an upgrade from its previous Good rating in 2014. At Key Stage 2 in the 2023/24 academic year, 70% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That is slightly below the Barnet local authority average of 73%, but the school’s higher-ability results are notable: 23% achieved the higher standard in all three subjects, and in reading specifically, half of all pupils reached the higher standard. Average scores were 108 in maths and 110 in reading. Nationally, the school ranks in the top 50% of primaries on its combined expected standard score, and sits 49th out of 80 primary schools in Barnet.

The school offers a solid range of facilities, including playing fields, a sports hall, library, music rooms, gymnasium, ICT suite and a chapel. Sports on offer include gymnastics, swimming, football, dance and rounders, and there are clubs such as book club, science club and art club. For families with children who have additional needs, the SEND provisions are comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder. There is also a resourced provision. With 28.6% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse catchment. This is a school that suits families who value a strong academic foundation, a wide range of enrichment, and a clear track record of improvement, but who are prepared for a competitive admissions process.

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