Simon Marks Jewish Primary School

About Simon Marks Jewish Primary School

Simon Marks Jewish Primary School is a small state primary in Hackney, with 124 pupils on a capacity of 240, and it stands out sharply in the local landscape. According to the most recent data, it ranks first out of 49 primary schools in the borough, placing it ahead of well-regarded local peers such as Southwold Primary School, Princess May Primary School, and Grazebrook Primary School. Its ranking score of 100, based on KS2 expected standards, also puts it second in London and fifteenth nationally. The school is Jewish by religious character and led by headteacher Gulcan Metin-Asdoyuran. It offers nursery provision for children aged three and above, and its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024 rated the school Good overall, with behaviour and attitudes judged Outstanding — the only Outstanding grade in the report.

Academically, the school’s KS2 results for 2023/24 are exceptionally strong. Every single pupil met the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths combined — a 100 per cent rate that far exceeds the Hackney local authority average of 74 per cent. At the higher standard, 38 per cent of pupils achieved that level across all three subjects. In reading, 75 per cent reached the higher standard, and in maths, 50 per cent did. Average scaled scores were 112 in reading and 111 in maths, both well above the national benchmark 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 starting points, but the raw attainment is clearly among the best in the borough. The school does not have a sixth form, as it is a primary, and its Ofsted report from 2017 also rated it Good overall, with early years provision and leadership and management both graded 2 at that time.

The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 17 applications for 10 places, a ratio of 1.7 applicants per place, and offered places to all eight first-preference applicants. Facilities include music rooms, art studios, a sports hall, ICT suite, outdoor playground, gymnasium, and a chapel. Sports on offer are football, rounders, cricket, and tennis, and clubs include coding, choir, drama, book club, film club, and chess. The school has a broad range of SEND provisions, covering moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder, and other difficulties, plus a resourced provision. This combination of strong academic outcomes, a Jewish religious character, and extensive SEND support makes it a particularly good fit for families in Hackney who prioritise high attainment and inclusive provision in a small, faith-based setting.

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