Richard Atkins Primary School

About Richard Atkins Primary School

Richard Atkins Primary School in Lambeth is a mixed state primary for ages 3 to 11, and its intake data tells a clear story of a school serving a community with significant need. With 242 pupils on roll against a capacity of 342, the school is operating at around 71% of its total places, which is notably under capacity. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 45.2%, far above the national average of roughly 23% and well above the Lambeth primary average, indicating a high level of socio-economic disadvantage in the local catchment. Despite this, demand for places is strong: for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 57 applications for just 18 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.17. Of those applicants, 14 put Richard Atkins as their first preference, and all 14 were offered a place, suggesting that while the school is popular, it is not yet oversubscribed to the point of turning away first-choice families.

Academically, Richard Atkins presents a mixed picture when compared with other Lambeth primaries. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 46% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is well below the Lambeth local authority average of 66%. This places the school 49th out of 54 primaries in the borough, in the bottom 50% nationally. However, the school performs better in individual subjects: 77% of pupils met the expected standard in reading and 77% in maths, with average scaled scores of 104 and 103 respectively. Only 11% reached the higher standard in reading and maths, and no pupils achieved the higher standard in writing. The most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022 judged the school as Good overall, with leadership and management also rated Good, and the ungraded inspection confirmed the school remains Good. The previous graded inspection in 2012 also awarded Good, so the school has maintained a consistent rating over a decade.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a library, playing fields, an outdoor playground, art studios, a forest school, music rooms and even a chapel, which is unusual for a non-religious school. Sports provision is strong with football, rounders, tennis, dance, cricket, netball and athletics on offer, plus clubs covering coding, drama, gardening and film club. SEND support is comprehensive, with provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, hearing impairment, autistic spectrum disorder, and a resourced provision. With nursery provision on site, this school is well suited to families in the local area who value a strong pastoral and SEND offer, and who are comfortable with a school that serves a high-needs community and is working to improve its academic outcomes relative to the borough average.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Richard Atkins Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents