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Rathfern Primary School

Lewisham, SE6 4NLPrimaryAges 3–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Outstanding
Sep 2021
KS2 Results
53%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
1.1×
Oversubscribed
66 1st-choice / 60 places
Ranking
#10,074
of 13,686 nationally

About Rathfern Primary School

Rathfern Primary School is a state-funded, mixed primary school in the London borough of Lewisham, serving children aged 3 to 11. It sits within a competitive local landscape where the top-performing peers include Haberdashers' Hatcham Free School, St Augustine's Catholic Primary School and Nursery, and Eliot Bank Primary School. Rathfern is one of ten schools in the borough rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and its most recent graded inspection in 2015 confirmed that overall effectiveness, leadership and management, and early years provision are all Outstanding. The school has held this top rating consistently across its last two inspections, having improved from a Good rating in 2011. With 497 pupils on roll against a capacity of 515, it is a well-subscribed school, and its nursery provision means children can join from age three. Headteacher Naheeda Maharasingam leads a school where 21.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, reflecting a diverse intake.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range3 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressRathfern Road, London, Lewisham, SE6 4NL
HeadteacherNaheeda Maharasingam
Local AuthorityLewisham
Number of Pupils497
Free School Meals (FSM)21.7%
School Capacity497 / 515 (97% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

29 Sept 2021
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
Early Years Provision
Outstanding

Latest monitoring visit (29 Sept 2021): School remains Outstanding

Source: Ofsted, 11 Jan 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

6
Sensory RoomOutdoor PlaygroundGymnasiumDining HallArt StudiosChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

11

Sports

SwimmingCricketAthleticsRoundersTennisFootball

Clubs & Activities

ChoirFilm ClubGardeningCodingChess

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:45 – 15:15

Breakfast club

07:45-08:45

After-school care

15:15-18:00

Source: rathfern.lewisham.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Rathfern Primary School

Rathfern Primary School has been rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted. This means the school provides an exceptional quality of education, and pupils thrive both academically and personally.