Thomas Fairchild Community School
About Thomas Fairchild Community School
Thomas Fairchild Community School is a state primary in Hackney that serves a notably high-needs community. With 220 pupils on roll against a capacity of 240, the school is operating close to full, and the demand is clear: for the 2025/26 intake, 53 families applied for just 21 places, making it oversubscribed 2.5 times over. Nineteen of those 53 applications were first-preference choices, suggesting strong local reputation. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 73%, which is far above the national average and signals a catchment with significant socioeconomic challenge. The school is mixed, non-religious, and takes children from age 3 through 11, with nursery provision available. Matthew Trahair is the headteacher, and the school sits within Hackney, a borough with 21 outstanding primaries out of 51 total — so competition among local schools is stiff.
Key Details
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 EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
26 Sept 2023Source: Ofsted, 13 Nov 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
5Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
9Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
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