Mowlem Primary School
108%
Capacity
226
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Mowlem Primary School
Parents considering Mowlem Primary School in Tower Hamlets will find a school that is clearly in demand. For the 2025/26 intake, the school was oversubscribed, receiving 55 applications for its 30 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.83. Of those, 29 first-preference families were offered a spot, meaning the vast majority of successful applicants had it as their top choice. This level of competition suggests a strong local reputation. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in January 2024, confirmed it remains Outstanding, a rating it has held since its last graded inspection in 2017. The inspection team awarded top marks for leadership and management, early years provision, and overall effectiveness. With 226 pupils on roll against a capacity of 210, the school is running slightly over its official number, another sign of its popularity among local families.
Academically, Mowlem’s Key Stage 2 results present a mixed picture. In the 2023/24 academic year, 56% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. This is below the Tower Hamlets local authority average of 71%, and places the school 53rd out of 58 primary schools in the borough. Looking at individual subjects, 74% reached the expected level in writing, 67% in maths, and 63% in reading. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher standard in all three subjects was 15%, with maths seeing the strongest higher-level performance at 26%. Average scaled scores were 104 in maths and 102 in reading. While the school’s ranking in the bottom half of the local authority might give some parents pause, it is worth noting that Tower Hamlets is a strong-performing borough, with 19 of its 66 primary schools rated Outstanding.
The school offers a solid range of facilities for a primary of its size, including a library, ICT suite, gymnasium, art studios and a chapel. Sports provision covers swimming, tennis, cricket and rounders, while extracurricular clubs include book club, chess, choir and science club. Mowlem has a nursery provision for children from age three, which can be a practical advantage for working families. The school’s SEND provisions are notably comprehensive, covering autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, social, emotional and mental health support, hearing and multi-sensory impairments, and profound and multiple learning difficulties. This breadth of support, combined with the Outstanding Ofsted rating, makes Mowlem a particularly strong option for families whose children may need additional help, even if its headline exam results sit below the local average.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 3 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Mowlem Street, Bethnal Green, London, Tower Hamlets, E2 9HE |
| Headteacher | Julia Burns |
| Local Authority | Tower Hamlets |
| Number of Pupils | 226 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 38.9% |
| School Capacity | 226 / 210 (108% full) |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
31 Jan 2024Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Latest inspection (31 Jan 2024): School remains Outstanding
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 27 Nov 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (56%)
9086th of 13,686
Nationally
1349th of 1,592
In London
53rd of 58
In Tower Hamlets
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
56%
Expected Standard
15%
Higher Standard
'22/23
77%
'23/24
56%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
5Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
8Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed30
55
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
29 families put this school as their 1st choice (53% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
09:00 – 15:30
Source: mowlem.towerhamlets.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- Asian76.5%
- Mixed8.4%
- White (other)5.8%
- White British2.2%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
42
Total schools
34
Oversubscribed
28
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mowlem Primary School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Mowlem Street, Bethnal Green, London
Tower Hamlets, E2 9HE
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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