Plumstead Manor School

About Plumstead Manor School

Plumstead Manor School is a large mixed secondary in Greenwich with 1,454 pupils on roll, just shy of its 1,500 capacity. The school serves a community with a notably high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 38.1%, well above the national average for secondary schools. Demand is strong: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 438 applications for 218 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.01, with 137 first-preference offers made. This suggests that despite its size, the school is a popular local choice, particularly among families who may value its inclusive intake and broad demographic mix. The school has a sixth form and is non-denominational, with no religious character. Headteacher Douglas Greig leads a school that, based on its pupil numbers and application figures, clearly plays a central role in the local community, even if its academic outcomes and Ofsted rating tell a more complicated story.

Academically, Plumstead Manor faces significant challenges. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated the school Requires Improvement overall, a downgrade from its previous Good rating in 2018. The inspection found that quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management all require improvement, though sixth-form provision was rated Good. At KS4, the school's Progress 8 score is -0.65, which is well below average and ranks it 15th out of 15 schools in Greenwich, with the local authority average sitting at 0.1. Attainment 8 stands at 36.2, and only 29.6% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. EBacc entry is low at 13.7%, and just 4.4% achieved the EBacc at grade 5 or above. At A-level, the school's value-added score is -0.22, with an average points per entry of 26.34 (equivalent to a C- grade), placing progress in the below-average band.

The school offers a wide range of facilities including a theatre, swimming pool, tennis courts, music rooms, art studios, and a sixth form centre. Sports provision is extensive, covering badminton, swimming, cricket, gymnastics, rugby, football, rounders, netball, and martial arts, while clubs include drama, choir, orchestra, book club, Young Enterprise, Duke of Edinburgh, Model UN, and debate. SEND support is comprehensive, with provisions for specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder, plus a resourced provision. The school is oversubscribed, so families applying will need to ensure they meet admissions criteria. Given its academic profile and inclusive intake, Plumstead Manor may suit families who prioritise a diverse, well-facilitated school with strong extracurricular breadth over top-tier exam results, and who are comfortable with a school in a period of transition following its recent Ofsted downgrade.

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