Underhill School

About Underhill School

Underhill School, a state primary in Barnet, achieves a Key Stage 2 expected standard in reading, writing and maths of 65%, which is eight percentage points below the local authority average of 73%. This places the school 61st out of 80 primary schools in the borough, putting it in the bottom quarter of Barnet primaries. However, the school’s intake is notably more disadvantaged than the local norm, with 39.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals — a figure that suggests the school is working with a cohort facing greater challenges than many of its neighbours. Despite this, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it Good overall, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2019. Inspectors noted that personal development was Outstanding, and the school has held a Good rating for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management since that 2023 visit.

Looking more closely at the 2023/24 SATs results, the picture is mixed. In maths, 85% of pupils reached the expected standard and the average score was 105, both solid figures. Reading saw 76% at the expected level, also with an average score of 105. Writing was in line with maths at 85% expected. Where the school falls short is at the higher standard: only 12% of pupils achieved the higher benchmark in reading, writing and maths combined, and just 19% did so in maths alone. This suggests the school is effective at getting most children to a secure baseline but less so at stretching the most able into the top tier. The school ranks in the 44th percentile nationally, meaning it sits just below the middle of all primaries across England. Compared with its previous inspection, the school has clearly turned a corner in leadership and teaching quality, which were both rated Requires Improvement in 2019.

The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26, it received 96 applications for 39 places, a ratio of 2.46 applicants per place, though only 18 of those were first-preference applications. It offers nursery provision for children from age two, and the site includes an ICT suite, sports hall, music rooms and a chapel. The sports programme is broad, with football, tennis, athletics, netball, swimming, rounders and cross country, while clubs include art, drama, eco, book, science and film. SEND support is well-developed, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, autistic spectrum disorder and visual impairment. For families weighing options, Underhill is a school that has improved its core teaching and behaviour management, and serves a high-needs community with strong pastoral care. Those prioritising academic stretch might look to higher-performing local options like Courtland School or Whitings Hill Primary, which is 0.9 km away and rated Outstanding.

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