Addison Primary School

Every pupil in the latest Year 6 cohort met the expected standard in reading, and every pupil met it in mathematics. That fact frames Addison Primary School, a mixed community primary in West Kensington that takes children from age three in its Nursery through to the end of Year 6. With 200 pupils on roll against a capacity of 420, it is a small school with small year groups: 28 pupils sat the most recent KS2 tests.

It ranks 18th in England for KS2 results. The February 2025 graded Ofsted inspection judged the quality of education, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision Outstanding, with behaviour and attitudes Good. Demand follows the results: 79 applications were made for 26 Reception offers for 2025 entry. Attendance is the one weak spot on record.

Learn Together, Enjoy Together, Achieve Together is the strapline across the school's website, and the values system gives it a cast of characters. Five values shape daily life: respect, responsibility, perseverance, honesty and friendship. Pupils helped refine them and created avatars to represent each one. The Values Based Education pages are organised around five named figures: Rocco Responsibility, Fatima Friendship, Percy Perseverance, Ollie Honest and Ria Respect. Values that children have shaped themselves are easier to remember and harder to ignore.

Day to day, the tone is calm and purposeful. Relationships between staff and pupils are caring, which helps children make friends and feel safe, and clear routines are set from the earliest years. Behaviour in lessons and at social times is exemplary. Pupils take on real jobs as school councillors and morning helpers and speak up in parliament assemblies, and the school acts on their ideas and feedback. A child who likes to be involved will find a genuine voice here.

Inclusion runs through this community school, and it starts young. Nursery and Reception share classrooms and outdoor areas designed for young children, and an open-plan, free-flow approach lets the two year groups learn and play together. A planned transition programme at the end of Reception moves children into Year 1 and the wider school. Staff are proud to work here and value the attention paid to their workload and wellbeing. Parents and carers hold the school in high regard.

Damien McGarrigle leads the school. In February 2025 he held the title of executive headteacher, with Nasra Dirir as head of school.

In the latest KS2 results, 93% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, against the England average of 62%. At the higher standard the gap widens further: 39% reached it in the combined measure, compared with an England average of 8%.

It ranks 18th of 14,951 in England for KS2 results, the top 0.1% (ranked against all schools in England with published KS2 results, state and independent). Those figures put Addison among the highest-performing primaries in England. It is 41st in England overall. Locally it ranks 3rd in Hammersmith and Fulham. These are proprietary FindMySchool rankings built from official data.

Reading and mathematics are the standouts. Every pupil reached the expected standard in both, and 82% achieved a high score in each. Average scaled scores were 115 in reading and 115 in mathematics, each against an expected standard of 100. Grammar, punctuation and spelling is just as strong: an average scaled score of 116, with 96% meeting the expected standard and 89% achieving a high score. In writing, 39% worked at greater depth. Science holds the pattern, with 96% meeting the expected standard against an England average of 82%.

A cohort of 28 needs reading with care. In a year group this size, one or two children can move a percentage noticeably, so parents should ask about results over several years rather than leaning on one. The depth of the figures still counts for something: strong higher-standard results in every tested area point to teaching that stretches the most able as well as securing the basics.

The curriculum is carefully sequenced from the Nursery class to the end of Year 6, setting out the knowledge and skills pupils should know and remember at each stage. The school describes it as knowledge rich and creative, with cross-curricular links between core and non-core subjects. Laptops, mathematical manipulatives and a wide stock of English texts support it. Teachers spot gaps in pupils' knowledge quickly and close them. Because each year builds on the last, pupils talk articulately about past learning as well as current topics.

Reading has a tight structure. In EYFS the school follows the Read-Write-Inc (RWI) phonics programme, with a sound of the day and matching reading activities, and every RWI teacher is trained so that practice stays consistent. Children in EYFS and KS1 are assessed every half term, and the phonics lead uses the results to regroup them by progress. Pupils practise with books matched to the sounds they know, and those who struggle get carefully designed interventions. Year 1 pupils sit the phonics Screening Check each June. By the end of Year 2, almost all pupils are fluent readers.

Writing starts with the basics. The youngest children begin with mark making to build hand-eye coordination and finger strength. Early years text choices draw on the Development Matters framework: a topic on people who help us is brought to life with Where the sugar bugs live and Zog and the flying doctor, while Hairy Maclary's Rumpus at the Vets introduces words such as doses, aches and twitches. The early writing work is highly successful, and staff across the school model the vocabulary they want children to use.

Pupils with SEND learn alongside their peers. Their needs are identified at the earliest opportunity, specialist advice is sought when needed, and staff adapt the curriculum expertly. They achieve well.

Secondary transfer runs through the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham's coordinated process, and the school's admissions page signposts the borough's guidance on transfer to secondary school. Year 6 has its own Secondary School Transition pages. Families who want to know which schools recent leavers have moved on to should ask at an open morning.

Preparation for the next stage goes beyond the curriculum. Regular visits to places of worship build pupils' understanding of different faiths and cultures, pupils can discuss fundamental British values, and the school prepares them exceedingly well for life in modern Britain. Even the uniform plays a part: a shirt and school tie are worn from Reception, and the school explains that children grow up understanding that most secondary schools expect smart dress. Into University and St. Paul's Girls' School both appear among the school's personal development links.

With KS2 attainment at this level, most Year 6 pupils leave with the reading, writing and mathematics to cope with demanding secondary work.

Competition for places is the limiting factor. For 2025 entry, 79 applications were made for 26 Reception offers, roughly three applications for every place, and the school is oversubscribed. As a community school, Addison does not run its own Reception admissions: applications go through the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, which also handles in-year moves. The school points families to the borough's starting school guidance for Reception. Families should check the borough's current oversubscription criteria before listing preferences.

The Nursery works differently. Families apply directly to the school, collecting a form from the main office or downloading it. Children can join at the start of the term after their third birthday. Places are allocated against three criteria, listed in this order: siblings in the school, distance from the school, and a commitment to apply for Addison's Reception once the child reaches school age. For September 2026 places, the deadline was Friday 20 March 2026, so families should check the next application window with the office. The school describes two nursery sessions, morning and full time, but cannot guarantee the session requested.

Seeing the school is straightforward. School tours run on the first Friday of each month at 9:45am. Open mornings through the year include a presentation from the EYFS leader, Mrs Amin, and the head teacher, followed by a tour led by Year 5 and Year 6 pupil ambassadors. Families can also arrange to meet the school outside the open days.

Safeguarding arrangements are effective, and the head teacher is also the Designated Safeguarding Lead and the Designated Mental Health Lead. Isobel, a Low-Intensity CBT Practitioner from the local mental health support team, works in school every Monday. She offers one-to-one sessions and small group work to help pupils manage worries, anxiety and low mood using tools based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Anxious children can get structured help on site each week.

A lunchtime club gives children who find the playground hard a quieter zone. Activities include board games, crafts, Lego, Kinnex and a marble run, plus iPads, laptops and a Wii. Pupils are referred by their class teacher or other staff; new arrivals can attend to help them settle, and selected children bring a different friend each day. Pupils also know how to keep themselves physically healthy and mentally well, and they learn about staying safe online in computing lessons.

SEND support has visible structure. The head teacher and Teresa Hickey share the SEND co-ordinator role, and the SEND pages cover the Dyslexia Teaching Centre (DTC), Speech & Language, Catch Up and Occupational Therapy (OT). A sensory room, created in October 2025, gives pupils with autism and other special educational needs a calm space within a busy school and also hosts interventions such as Lego therapy.

Music is the defining pillar. Every child has music education from Nursery to the end of Key Stage 2, with weekly lessons taught by a dedicated specialist in a purpose-built music room. Miss Gaitantzi leads extra small-group instrumental lessons by year group: glockenspiel in Year 2, recorder in Years 3 and 4, and ukulele in Year 5. A visiting teacher gives one-to-one and small-group keyboard and piano lessons for those who want to go further. The stated aim is that children from all backgrounds learn an instrument in school, which matters in a state school where private lessons are not a given.

Performance is built in. On Friday mornings each phase sings together, and the repertoire spans rock, pop, dance and traditional songs alongside the Addison School Song. Miss Gaitantzi also runs an after-school choir open to pupils from Year 1 to Year 6. Outside partners raise the bar: students from the Royal College of Music ran a workshop at the school before Year 5 visited the college in October 2024 to hear its jazz band. In December 2024, Year 4 sang at Kensington Town Hall in the Tri-Borough Music Hub Christmas festival alongside 10 other local schools. The school also works with St Paul's School and the Rhythm Studios, and the Rhythm Studios produced the most unexpected moment: on 15 May 2024, Ed Sheeran listened to Year 5's compositions there. Music provision here is exceptional, and those partnerships are a big part of why.

Sport rests on a weekly PE lesson with plenty of variety. Tennis appears in every year group from Year 1 to Year 6, swimming runs from Year 2 to Year 6 (with two half-terms in Year 6), and dance units carry themes such as Mr Candy's Sweet factory in Year 2, Street Art in Year 5 and Carnival in Year 6. Pupils take readily to activities such as swimming, boxing and tennis. The school lists clubs in cricket, gymnastics, football, taekwondo, boxing and arts and crafts, competitions including the Mayors Cup and QuadKids, plus Sports Day and Cycling. Clubs are open to all.

Learning also leaves the building. Trips to local historical sites, museums and the theatre help pupils understand different perspectives, and the curriculum includes an International Week. The personal development pages name further links, among them Chance to Shine (cricket), Magic Breakfast, a Primary Hub on Wednesdays and an MFL Carousel on Thursdays.

As a state school, Addison charges no tuition fees. The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club; families should confirm current hours and charges with the school office. Nursery sessions run 9:00am to 12:00pm (morning) and 9:00am to 3.00pm (full time). The school said 2026/27 nursery costs would be published in the summer term of 2026, so check current nursery fees and funding arrangements directly. Uniform includes a school tie and v-neck jumper with logo, with a blue and white checked dress in summer, and is ordered from Stitch Design. Term dates are published through to 2029-2030, and the annual Parent Handbook gathers day-to-day information.

Attendance is the open issue. Absence has been higher than local and England averages in recent years, and the school's initiatives to improve it have not yet had the impact intended, so some pupils miss important learning. Expect a firm line: term-time holidays are not permitted, and the school warns that taking children out during term risks a fine or court action. Families who plan travel around term dates will find this easy; those who cannot should factor it in.

Getting a Reception place is the hurdle. With roughly three applications per offer for 2025 entry, and Reception places allocated by the borough, a place is far from certain. Nursery families commit to applying for Addison's Reception, but that application still goes through the borough, so it is sensible to list realistic alternative preferences.

Leadership is shared. In September 2024 the head teacher was appointed interim executive headteacher of another school in the same local authority, and an interim head of school was appointed at the same time. The head also holds the safeguarding, mental health and SEND co-ordinator roles. Families may want to ask at an open morning how leadership is currently arranged.

Addison combines KS2 results among the strongest in England with a school life that is plainly more than test preparation. Specialist music teaching, small-group instrumental lessons from Year 2 and partnerships with the Royal College of Music and the Tri-Borough Music Hub give it genuine distinction. Structured phonics, a new sensory room and weekly mental health support show equal care for pupils who find school harder. Best suited to families in Hammersmith and Fulham who want high academic standards in a small, inclusive community primary, especially those with a musical child or a child who needs well-organised SEND support. The main caveat is entry: with three applications for every Reception place, securing one is the real challenge, and families should also be ready for firm expectations on attendance.