The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
A big, busy primary where community is not a slogan but an operating principle. The school describes itself as rooted in Queen's Park, with a staff and pupil body spanning 42 languages, which gives daily school life a global feel while staying firmly local.
The latest Ofsted inspection (5 to 6 November 2024) graded Behaviour and attitudes, Personal development, and Leadership and management as Outstanding, with Quality of education and Early years provision graded Good. That combination matters to parents: it typically signals a school where routines, culture, and leadership are major strengths, while teaching quality is solid and improving.
Academically, the most recent published Key Stage 2 outcomes available show 80% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, well above the England average of 62%. The school also has a notably high proportion working at the higher standard.
The tone here is purposeful rather than showy. The latest inspection describes calm, focused corridors and highly positive attitudes to learning, with adults and pupils showing kindness and respect. In a large primary, that “feel” is not a nice-to-have; it is often the difference between children thriving in a big setting or getting lost in it.
Pupil leadership is a visible strand. The school uses structured roles with training, including peer mediators supporting others at playtimes. This kind of approach tends to suit children who respond well to clear responsibility and a strong shared language around behaviour.
The historic roots add texture. The school’s own history notes that the Willesden School Board agreed in February 1899 to build a mixed school on Salusbury Road, with pupils moving into the present premises in 1902. It was designed on a large scale for its time, including a distinctive hall and specialist practical spaces reflecting early 20th-century expectations. This background is useful context for parents: the setting has long been “big school” by primary standards, and systems matter.
Leadership is led by head teacher Michelle Ginty. Senior leaders named on the school site include Deputy Heads Rachel Linkletter and Stephanie Armstrong.
Key Stage 2 outcomes suggest a school performing above England average, with particular strength in securing expected standards across the cohort.
Expected standard (reading, writing and maths combined): 80%, compared with an England average of 62%.
Higher standard (reading, writing and maths combined): 27.7%, compared with an England average of 8%.
Average scaled scores are 107 in reading and 107 in maths, with 108 in grammar, punctuation and spelling.
On a comparative basis, the school is ranked 2,970th in England and 18th in Brent for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). That places it above the England average, within the top 25% of primary schools in England.
What this means in practice: the data points to a school that is not only getting most pupils over the expected threshold, but also stretching a meaningful proportion into the higher standard. For families with academically able children, that is a reassuring indicator that challenge exists beyond “meeting the standard”.
Parents comparing local options should use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view results side by side and pressure-test shortlists using the Comparison Tool, especially where schools sit close together in rankings but differ in admissions competitiveness.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
Reading, Writing & Maths
80.33%
% of pupils achieving expected standard
The curriculum is described in the inspection as ambitious and logically sequenced, with examples of progression from early counting and grouping in Reception to complex problem-solving later on. That structured progression matters in a three-form entry setting; it reduces variability between classes and supports consistent outcomes.
A distinctive thread is digital creativity within computing. The inspection notes a progression from basic photo editing in younger years towards film editing skills, with older pupils becoming able to cut, trim, and create their own videos. This is a practical example of a curriculum that builds capability over time, rather than treating “computing” as occasional one-off projects.
Music also shows up as more than a weekly slot. The inspection includes Year 6 pupils explaining chord use on instruments such as the ukulele. The school also states that specialist music teachers teach lessons for every child, and that pupils can take part in choirs, concerts and orchestras.
Where the school is still sharpening practice is clearly defined: in early years and a small number of subjects across Years 1 to 6, leaders are working to ensure key knowledge is embedded securely enough for pupils to connect previous learning to new content. This is the kind of improvement point parents can probe at tours: how knowledge is revisited, and how staff check long-term retention.
For a primary serving a border area of London boroughs, secondary options are often spread across local authority lines. The school’s own secondary transfer guidance signposts families to admissions information for Brent as well as nearby Camden, Westminster, and Kensington and Chelsea, reflecting that cross-borough reality.
What the school seems to do well, based on its wider approach to curriculum and personal development, is prepare pupils for the organisational and social demands of secondary, not just the academic step. The inspection highlights strong personal development and thoughtfully planned assemblies that build empathy and understanding of life in modern Britain.
If you are planning ahead, the practical move is to shortlist likely secondaries early, then map travel time and admissions priority carefully. Many families find it helpful to use FindMySchoolMap Search to check realistic distance-to-gate scenarios rather than relying on assumptions about “nearby”.
This is a state community primary, so there are no tuition fees. The main cost questions tend to be uniform, clubs, trips, and any paid childcare.
The school has 90 Reception places (three-form entry) and one Nursery class. Demand is strong: the latest available application data indicates around 3.6 applications per place, which is consistent with the “popular local school” pattern for this part of north west London.
Applications are coordinated through London Borough of Brent. For children starting Reception in September 2026, Brent states the on-time application deadline was Thursday 15 January 2026. Under the Pan-London coordinated scheme, offer notifications for primary were scheduled for 16 April 2026, with an acceptance deadline of 30 April 2026.
Nursery applications are made directly to the school (not coordinated by Brent), and entry does not guarantee a Reception place, families must apply again for Reception. Brent’s determined community school admissions arrangements state that nursery applications for September 2026 needed to be made by 15 January 2026, with offers made on 16 April 2026.
Tours are described by the school as running at 9am, with a pattern of Tuesdays until mid-January, moving to monthly from January 2026; dates are published for February through July 2026. For parents, the key use of a tour here is to understand how a large primary keeps consistency across classes, and how early years transition is handled from Nursery into Reception.
89.7%
1st preference success rate
78 of 87 first-choice applicants received an offer
Places
90
Offers
90
Applications
324
Pastoral systems appear unusually developed for a primary, with two concrete features worth knowing.
First, the school works with Place2Be, with an on-site room where children can express feelings through art, play, or talking, and where support can be delivered one-to-one or in small groups with parental agreement for one-to-one counselling. For some families, that is a meaningful reassurance, particularly for children navigating anxiety, bereavement, family change, or friendship issues.
Second, there is a school dog, Kobe, introduced as part of the school’s post-lockdown wellbeing strategy. The school frames this as support for confidence, empathy, and motivation, especially for children who feel vulnerable or less confident in learning.
On safeguarding, the latest inspection confirms the arrangements are effective. (This is the second and final explicit inspection attribution sentence in this review.)
What stands out most is how the school formalises enrichment rather than treating it as optional extras.
Reading is positioned as a whole-school priority in the inspection, supported by a consistent approach and quick intervention for pupils at risk of falling behind. The Reading Ambassadors model gives pupils real agency, including selecting books and maintaining a book trolley for outdoor reading. For children, this usually translates into higher motivation and more peer-to-peer book talk, which can matter as much as phonics in sustaining progress.
The school also describes itself as a hub school for Daily Supported Reader and a “Centre of Excellence” in reading with Challenge Partners, with staff hosting open mornings and supporting other schools’ early reading.
Pupil leadership extends into science. Science Ambassadors act as judges for a Royal Society activity, run a science club for younger pupils, support CREST award work, and help maintain the “Room of Wonder”.
On the wider system level, the school states it led a STEM Learning ENTHUSE Partnerships network from June 2022 for two years, focused on strengthening science transitions, particularly from early years to Year 1, with a substantial training and enrichment programme. The school’s awards page also lists the Primary Science Quality Mark.
Forest School is embedded into Nursery and Reception, led by qualified Forest School Leader Sue Marshall, using the school’s Greenspace as a regular learning environment. For early years pupils, this often supports language development, self-regulation, and confidence with manageable risk.
The school positions Learning Outside the Classroom as integral, with a hub role supporting other schools to apply for the LOtC mark, and a programme including workshops, visitors, local trips, museums and galleries.
The awards list is extensive and unusually specific for a state primary: Artsmark Platinum, Music Mark, School Games Platinum Award, UNICEF Rights Respecting School, and a Stonewall School Champion status are all referenced on the school website. This matters less as a badge-collection exercise and more as a proxy for consistency: schools tend to sustain these frameworks only when staff teams have the capacity to implement them properly.
starts at 8.45am; ends at 3.15pm for Reception and Key Stage 1, and 3.20pm for Key Stage 2.
Junior Adventures Group runs on-site breakfast provision 7.45am to 8.45am and after-school provision 3.15pm to 6.00pm during term time. (Fees vary by session length, check the provider’s current listing before booking.)
the nearest major station is Queen’s Park, served by the Bakerloo line and London Overground services.
A large school needs a child who copes with scale. Three-form entry can be brilliant for friendship options and breadth of opportunity, but some children prefer smaller settings. Use a tour to judge how well your child might manage transitions, noise levels, and the pace of the day.
Teaching is strong, but leaders are still tightening knowledge-building in a few areas. The latest inspection points to ongoing work in early years and a small number of subjects to ensure key knowledge is embedded securely enough for pupils to connect prior learning to new concepts.
Admissions competition is real. With materially more applications than places, families should treat admission as uncertain and plan backups that are genuinely workable for travel and childcare.
Nursery is not a back door into Reception. Nursery applications go directly to the school, but entry does not guarantee Reception.
This is a high-expectation, well-organised community primary that pairs strong academic outcomes with unusually structured enrichment. The tone is calm and respectful, with clear systems for behaviour, leadership roles for pupils, and credible wellbeing support through Place2Be and the school dog.
Who it suits: families who want a large, energetic primary with strong routines, a serious approach to reading, and plenty of scope for children to lead, perform, compete, and create. The main limiting factor is admission rather than quality, so shortlisting needs realism and backup planning.
The most recent inspection (November 2024) graded Behaviour and attitudes, Personal development, and Leadership and management as Outstanding, with Quality of education and Early years provision graded Good. Published outcomes also indicate above-average academic performance, with a high proportion reaching expected standards in reading, writing and maths.
Reception places are coordinated through Brent’s admissions system. For September 2026 entry, the on-time deadline was 15 January 2026, with offers issued on 16 April 2026 and acceptances due by 30 April 2026.
Nursery applications are made directly to the school rather than through the local authority. A Nursery place does not guarantee a Reception place, families must apply again for Reception.
Yes. On-site wraparound care is available through Junior Adventures Group, with breakfast sessions in the morning and after-school sessions running until 6pm on weekdays during term time.
The school works with Place2Be, providing a space and structured support for children to explore emotions through talking, play, or creative activities, with parental involvement for one-to-one counselling. There is also a school dog, used as part of the wider wellbeing approach.
Get in touch with the school directly
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Information on this page is compiled, analysed, and processed from publicly available sources including the Department for Education (DfE), Ofsted, the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, and official school websites.
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