Malmesbury Primary School

About Malmesbury Primary School

Malmesbury Primary School sits in Tower Hamlets, one of London’s most diverse and densely packed boroughs for primary provision. Among 58 state primary schools in the local authority, it ranks 49th by KS2 expected standard attainment, placing it in the bottom half locally. For context, the top-performing peers nearby include Canary Wharf College, Glenworth, St Agnes RC Primary School and Globe Primary School, all scoring considerably higher on the same metric. The school is also within 0.4 km of Wellington Primary School, which holds an Outstanding Ofsted rating. Malmesbury itself was rated Good in its most recent graded inspection in 2014, and an ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed it remains Good. That’s a significant improvement from its previous overall rating of Inadequate in 2012, suggesting steady progress under headteacher Claire Stewart.

Academically, Malmesbury’s KS2 results for 2023/24 show 62% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That is below the Tower Hamlets local authority average of 71%, and places the school in the bottom 50 nationally by this metric. Looking at individual subjects, 75% met the expected standard in maths, 67% in reading and 69% in writing. At the higher standard, 13% achieved the combined benchmark, with maths the strongest subject at 33% reaching the higher threshold. Average scaled scores were 105 in maths and 104 in reading, both slightly above the national baseline of 100. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it is not possible to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points. The school has no sixth form, as it is a primary-only setting.

Malmesbury is a three-form entry school with nursery provision for children from age three, and it is oversubscribed: for 2025/26, it received 131 applications for 58 places, with 52 first-preference offers made. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 2.26, reflecting solid local demand. The school serves a community with high levels of disadvantage — 50.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. Facilities include a library, gymnasium, music rooms, art studios and a chapel. Sports on offer include tennis, swimming, rounders and cricket, and clubs range from chess and eco club to science club and choir. SEND provision is broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social and emotional needs, speech and language issues, hearing impairment, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that suits families seeking a stable, inclusive local primary with strong pastoral and SEND support, though those prioritising top-tier academic outcomes may want to look at higher-ranked peers in the borough.

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