St John of Jerusalem Church of England Primary School

About St John of Jerusalem Church of England Primary School

St John of Jerusalem Church of England Primary School is a state primary in Hackney, a borough with 21 outstanding-rated primary schools among its 51 total. The school itself ranks 17th in the local authority, placing it in the top 25 per cent of primaries in Hackney. Its closest high-performing neighbours include Simon Marks Jewish Primary School, Southwold Primary School and Grazebrook Primary School, which occupy the top three spots locally. With a capacity of 210 and just 152 pupils on roll, the school is significantly undersubscribed in terms of physical space, yet it was oversubscribed for 2025/26 reception places: 33 families applied for 14 places, and 13 of those were first-preference offers. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 2.36, meaning demand outstrips supply by more than two to one. The school serves a diverse community, with 52.6 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, well above the national average.

Academically, St John of Jerusalem performs solidly against local benchmarks. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 80 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, comfortably above the Hackney local authority average of 74 per cent. Individual subject scores were strong: 87 per cent met expectations in reading and in maths, and 93 per cent in writing. At the higher standard, 13 per cent achieved the top level across all three subjects. Average scaled scores were 107 in reading and 108 in maths, both above the national baseline of 100. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2022, rated it Good across every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — matching its previous Good rating from March 2012. Progress measures for reading, writing and maths were not published in the data, so it is not possible to compare pupil progress against peers.

The school offers a broad set of facilities including a library, gymnasium, playing fields, art studios, sports hall and a chapel, and runs clubs ranging from coding and chess to drama, choir and film club. Sports provision covers rounders, gymnastics, football, cricket, dance, swimming and netball. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. Nursery provision is available from age three. The headteacher is René Africa. Given its strong local ranking, above-average KS2 outcomes and clear oversubscription, this is a school that suits families prioritising academic attainment within a Church of England ethos, particularly those living within Hackney who can secure a place through the admissions process.

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