Millennium Primary School Review 2026: High-performing Greenwich Peninsula primary with nursery and an autism DSP

This is a large, two-form entry primary serving the Greenwich Peninsula, with a nursery for children aged 3+ and a small Designated Special Provision (DSP) for pupils with autism. The school sits above England average on published Key Stage 2 outcomes, with 75.67% of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 26.33% reached greater depth, well above the England figure of 8%.

Leadership is clearly structured, with an Executive Headteacher and a Head of School. Rachel Mollett is listed as Executive Headteacher, with an appointment date of 01 September 2024. Anna Bellou is Head of School.

Parents weighing this school usually come back to three practical questions: how realistic admission is (it is oversubscribed), how well the culture supports learning and behaviour (external evidence is strong), and whether the combination of nursery, wraparound care, and SEND support fits day to day family life.

There is a deliberate international flavour to how the school presents itself. Classes are named after countries, including Scotland for Nursery, Kenya and India in Reception, and England for the DSP class. For pupils, that sort of structure often makes the school feel legible, it is easy to understand where you belong and how the community is organised.

The school’s published values are explicit and broad, covering Respect, Resilience, Kindness, Curiosity, Ambition, and Honesty. Values are only useful when they show up in routines, and here they are tied into curriculum intent, assemblies, and how staff talk about learning.

One cultural marker that stands out is the emphasis on structured learning habits rather than ad hoc “fun topics”. The school describes a subject-based, spiral curriculum, and a consistent lesson structure based on gradual release of responsibility (modelled by the teacher, practised together, then applied independently). For families, that usually translates into predictable classroom experience, and fewer surprises when children move between year groups.

The other distinctive thread is play, treated as something serious rather than just downtime. The school works with OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) to develop play provision and talks about play quality, behaviour, and wellbeing in the same breath. In practice, that tends to suit children who learn best when the day has movement, outdoor time, and a chance to reset, rather than long stretches of purely desk-based work.

On primary outcomes, the school ranks 2,997th in England and 24th in Greenwich for primary performance (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This places it above England average, comfortably within the top 25% of primary schools in England.

At Key Stage 2 in 2024, 75.67% met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, above the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 26.33% achieved greater depth, compared with 8% across England. Reading, maths, and grammar, punctuation and spelling scaled scores are also strong (107 reading, 106 maths, 109 GPS), reinforcing that this is not a “one subject only” profile.

The simplest implication for parents is that the school appears to combine breadth with secure basics. A higher-than-average proportion of pupils are achieving the higher standard, which usually indicates that teaching is not only focused on meeting the minimum bar, but also on extending pupils who are ready for more challenge.

The school’s published teaching model is clear about sequencing and vocabulary, with each lesson beginning with retrieval of prior learning and introduction of new vocabulary. This is the kind of approach that tends to suit children who benefit from repetition, explicit teaching, and a steady build across time, rather than frequent resets into disconnected topics.

Language and reading are treated as central. The school describes adult-led reading sessions that move from decoding and fluency to prosody and comprehension, with an expectation that families support daily reading at home. The implication is that reading progress is built as a partnership. For parents who can consistently do the home reading routine, this can accelerate confidence fast. For parents who cannot, it is worth asking what alternative support is available inside school.

Two enrichment strands are unusually concrete for a primary. First, digital access: the school states its 1:1 Device Project began in October 2021, framed as an attempt to reduce the digital divide and build digital proficiency as a normal part of learning. Second, entrepreneurship and careers education: Year 4 has run a Social Enterprise project with the Social Enterprise Academy, and the school reports receiving a “Protecting our Planet Award” in 2023.

For pupils, these kinds of programmes can change how school feels. It becomes less about “doing tasks” and more about building a sense that learning connects to real roles, real communities, and real problems.

For a primary in Royal Greenwich, the practical reality is that Year 6 families will go through coordinated secondary admissions via the local authority, even when applying across council borders.

What matters for families at this school is readiness for the transition rather than a single named destination. External evidence points to strong preparation for secondary, including calm learning conditions and strong behaviour expectations. Pupils who have practised independence through structured lessons and routines usually find the move to secondary less disruptive than peers who rely heavily on adult prompting.

For pupils in the DSP, transition planning is often more individual and may involve SEND processes alongside mainstream admissions. Families considering the DSP route should ask early how transition is managed at Year 6, including liaison with likely secondary settings and how support plans are handed over.

Reception entry is coordinated through the Royal Borough of Greenwich. For September 2026 entry, the school and the council both publish the same key dates: applications opened on 01 September 2025; the closing date was 15 January 2026; offers are published on 16 April 2026; acceptances close on 30 April 2026; appeals run into June and July.

The school is oversubscribed. For the most recent published entry-route demand figures, 162 applications were made for 59 offers, which is roughly 2.75 applications per place. First-preference demand is also tight, with a first-preference ratio of 1.04 compared with offers. The practical implication is that even families who list the school first may not secure a place unless they meet the highest priority criteria.

In 2024, the last distance offered was 3.133 miles. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place. Families should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their exact distance and understand how it compares with the most recently offered distance, then treat this as guidance rather than certainty.

Open events and tours matter here because demand is high. The school published a set of tours for the September 2026 intake running from October through January. Some of these dates are now in the past, but the pattern suggests tours commonly sit in the autumn term and early spring. For up to date dates, check the school’s admissions information.

Nursery entry

The nursery takes children from the term after their third birthday. Hours are published as 9:00am to 3:30pm, with childcare also available 8:00am to 9:00am and 3:30pm to 6:00pm during term time only. The nursery also references 15-hour and 30-hour places, including use of 30-hour childcare codes.

Nursery fees change and can be linked to funding eligibility, so the sensible approach is to confirm current pricing directly via the nursery information. Government-funded hours are available for eligible families.

Designated Special Provision for autism

The school states it has 6 DSP places within its overall admission numbers, with DSP admission decided through the local authority. Criteria include an Education, Health and Care Plan and a clear medical diagnosis of autism, with expectations around capacity to access mainstream learning with specialist support.

For parents, the key implication is that the DSP is integrated rather than isolated. Children remain on the mainstream roll and are supported into mainstream classrooms as much as is appropriate, with specialist intervention available when needed.

The school’s published SEND offer is framed around meeting needs across academic, physical, emotional, and social development, and narrowing gaps between pupils with SEND and those without.

For wellbeing more broadly, there is an explicit focus on mental health resources and mindfulness activities for families. In itself, a webpage does not prove a strong pastoral culture, but it does show that wellbeing is treated as a mainstream topic, not something reserved only for crisis moments.

The strongest single external indicator is the way behaviour and personal development are assessed. The latest Ofsted inspection (7 and 8 May 2025) graded Behaviour and attitudes as Outstanding and Personal development as Outstanding, alongside Good judgements for Quality of education, Leadership and management, and Early years provision.

Clubs and enrichment are organised in a practical way, with termly offers and clear time blocks. In Autumn 2025, the published programme included options such as Code Camp (KS1 and KS2), Creative Writing, Performing Arts, Fencing, Spanish, Clay modelling, Soft Archery, and Peninsula Football, alongside multisports.

For pupils, the important point is range plus continuity. Code Camp appearing across terms signals that computing is not a one-off event, and the mix of sport, arts, and languages supports different kinds of confidence. The school also runs programmes that connect learning to the outside world, including Aspiration and Achievement Week, which is built around careers-focused activities, guest speakers, and a day where pupils try different roles set up around the school.

Play is also treated as part of the broader experience, not just a break between lessons. OPAL work is framed around better play, improved wellbeing, and better behaviour, which tends to benefit pupils who find the school day emotionally demanding and need movement and social play to regulate.

Finally, there is a community layer. The PTA describes funding projects such as library improvements and costumes for Christmas shows, and it supports end-of-Year 6 events. That matters because in a large school, the sense of community is often built through these parent-led structures rather than relying only on staff.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should still budget for usual extras such as uniform, trips, and optional wraparound care.

School hours are published. School gates open at 8:45am; Reception, Key Stage 1, and Key Stage 2 run 8:55am to 3:30pm, with nursery sessions set separately.

Breakfast Club runs 8:00am to 8:55am and is priced at £6.00 per day (with a sibling discount listed). After School Club runs 3:30pm to 6:00pm and is priced at £15 per day (with a sibling discount listed). Both currently operate waiting lists according to the school’s published information.

For transport, the school advises walking, cycling or public transport where possible. It also lists multiple bus routes serving stops close to the school, and it notes limited on-site parking, including two disabled spaces.

• Admission competition: Demand is high, with 162 applications for 59 offers on the most recent published entry route. Families should plan for a realistic set of preferences, not a single-school strategy.

• Distance volatility: In 2024, the last distance offered was 3.133 miles. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place. Treat past distance as a reference point, not a promise.

• DSP is small and criteria-led: The autism DSP has 6 places and is allocated through local authority processes with specific eligibility criteria. This can be an excellent fit for the right child, but it is not a general SEND unit and it will not suit every profile.

• Wraparound capacity: Breakfast and Extended Day provision are clearly described, but both are published as full with waiting lists. If wraparound care is essential, confirm availability early.

Strong Key Stage 2 outcomes, high expectations for behaviour, and a clear approach to curriculum design make this a compelling option for families on the Greenwich Peninsula who want a structured, aspirational primary. It also offers two practical advantages that many parents prioritise, an on-site nursery pathway and a small autism DSP that is designed to integrate pupils into mainstream learning when appropriate.

Best suited to families who value consistent routines, clear expectations, and a broad set of enrichment options, and who can plan early for a competitive admissions process.