St Matthias Church of England Primary School

About St Matthias Church of England Primary School

St Matthias Church of England Primary School in Hackney was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2011. The school’s leadership and management were also judged Good. However, the academic outcomes paint a more complex picture. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, just 52% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That is well below the Hackney local authority average of 74%, and it places the school 47th out of 49 primary schools in the borough. Only 4% of pupils reached the higher standard in all three subjects. On individual subjects, reading fared best with 70% at expected and 17% at the higher level, while maths saw 65% at expected and 9% at higher. Writing was the weakest area, with 65% at expected and 13% at higher.

The school’s average scaled scores were 103 in reading and 101 in maths, both slightly above the national baseline of 100 but still reflecting the overall challenge. With 66.7% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a significantly disadvantaged community, which provides important context for these results. The Ofsted report noted that the school remains Good, and the leadership team under headteacher Lucy Blewett is working to raise attainment. The school has a nursery provision for children aged 3 and over, and it is a Church of England school, though it welcomes families of all faiths and none. The small size of the school, with 160 pupils against a capacity of 240, means class sizes are relatively small, which can allow for more individual attention.

The school is oversubscribed for Reception places in 2025/26, with 29 applications for 15 places and 11 first-preference offers made. This suggests strong local demand despite the academic results. Facilities are a real strength: the school has a sports hall, ICT suite, sensory room, playing fields, outdoor playground, music rooms, a forest school area, library and chapel. Clubs include science, art and gardening, and sports on offer are tennis, football, netball and gymnastics. The school has a range of SEND provisions covering dyslexia, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, physical disability and other difficulties. For families prioritising a supportive, inclusive environment with strong pastoral care and a wide range of activities, St Matthias could be a good fit, especially if they are comfortable with the current academic trajectory. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Shacklewell Primary School, half a kilometre away.

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