Upton Cross Primary School

About Upton Cross Primary School

Upton Cross Primary School in Newham holds a Good rating from its most recent graded inspection in 2020, with inspectors noting that standards were maintained in an ungraded visit in 2025. The school’s academic story is best told through its Key Stage 2 results for the 2023/24 year, where 53% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That figure sits well below the Newham local authority average of 74%, and places the school 60th out of 61 primary schools in the borough. In individual subjects, 74% of pupils reached the expected level in both maths and writing, while 68% did so in reading. However, only 1% of pupils achieved the higher standard across all three subjects, and the school’s ranking in the bottom 50 nationally on this metric suggests that stretching the most able children is a clear area for development.

The school’s Ofsted breakdown shows that every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, early years provision, and leadership and management — was rated Good in the 2020 inspection. This is a step down from the Outstanding grade the school held in its 2013 inspection, but the 2025 ungraded visit confirmed that standards have been maintained since then. In terms of exam scores, the average maths scaled score was 104 and reading 103, both slightly above the national benchmark of 100. The school’s Progress 8 scores are not available, so it is difficult to assess how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points. Parent views are mixed: 67% would recommend the school, and 91% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their child feels safe, but only 48% felt concerns were dealt with properly.

Upton Cross is a large primary with capacity for 1,200 pupils, though it currently has 565 on roll. It is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 123 applications for 34 places, a ratio of 3.62 applicants per place, with all 30 first-preference families offered a spot. The school offers a nursery provision and a wide range of facilities including a sensory room, forest school, art studios, and playing fields. Its SEND provisions cover dyslexia, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, autistic spectrum disorder, and social and emotional mental health support. Clubs include choir, chess, coding, eco club and science club, and sports on offer are football, rounders, gymnastics and cross country. This is a school that suits families who value a broad enrichment offer and a strong sense of safety, but who are realistic about the academic outcomes being below the local average.

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