St Peter's Primary School, London Review 2026: Outstanding Church School in the Heart of Hammersmith

Behind a Victorian red-brick facade on St Peter's Road, this small Church of England primary has been serving Hammersmith families since 1849. The school's 2024 results place it 420th among 15,158 primaries in England, securing a position in the top 3% nationally. With only 210 places across seven year groups, roughly 30 children per year, every pupil is known individually. The Christian foundation runs through daily life without dominating it, creating a distinctive atmosphere that families describe as warm, purposeful, and remarkably calm for central London.

The original Victorian schoolhouse has been carefully extended and modernised over 175 years, creating a compact urban campus that makes intelligent use of limited space. The playground is small by suburban standards but benefits from mature trees that survived postwar rebuilding. Inside, corridors display pupil work celebrating both academic achievement and creative endeavour. Classrooms feel bright and well-organised rather than cramped, despite the constraints of the site.

Mr Simon Hatcher has led the school since 2016, arriving from a deputy headship in Wandsworth. Under his leadership, St Peter's achieved Outstanding in the 2019 Ofsted inspection, which praised the school's inclusive Christian ethos and exceptionally high expectations. Staff turnover is notably low for inner London, with several teachers having served the school for over a decade. The teaching team combines experienced practitioners with recently qualified teachers mentored within a supportive structure.

The school's Christian character is evident but not imposed. Each day begins with collective worship in the main hall, and harvest, Christmas, and Easter services take place at the neighbouring St Peter's Church. The church connection is genuine: the vicar is a regular presence, and the building serves as an extension of the school for major celebrations. Families of all faiths and none attend, though the admissions criteria prioritise practising Anglican families.

Values are articulated through the school's Christian foundation: respect, responsibility, compassion, and perseverance. These appear in behaviour expectations, assemblies, and conversations with pupils. Children speak naturally about kindness and helping others, suggesting the language has taken root beyond classroom posters.

In 2024, 96% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing, and mathematics combined, compared to the England average of 62%. This result has been sustained over multiple years, demonstrating consistency rather than a single exceptional cohort. The combined scaled score of 330 across reading, grammar, punctuation and spelling, and mathematics significantly exceeds typical outcomes.

At the higher standard, 53% of pupils achieved greater depth in reading, writing, and mathematics, compared to the England average of 8%. This figure reveals a school that stretches able pupils systematically rather than focusing solely on expected standards.

Subject-specific results show particular strength in mathematics, where 100% of pupils reached the expected standard and 59% achieved the high score. The average scaled score of 110 in mathematics exceeds the England average of 101. Reading produced an average scaled score of 109, with 48% achieving the high score. In grammar, punctuation, and spelling, 63% reached the high score from an average scaled score of 111.

Science outcomes mirror the pattern: 100% of pupils reached the expected standard, well above the England average of 82%.

St Peter's ranks 7th among primaries in Hammersmith and Fulham, and 420th in England, placing it among the highest-performing schools in the country. These are FindMySchool proprietary rankings based on official DfE data. Parents comparing local outcomes can use the Local Hub page to view these results side-by-side with other Hammersmith schools.

The curriculum follows the National Curriculum framework with notable enrichment. Phonics teaching begins in Reception using the Read Write Inc scheme, and reading is prioritised throughout the school. Pupils describe their teachers as strict but fair, with clear expectations and consistent routines. Lessons move at pace, with little time wasted on transitions or low-level disruption.

Mathematics is taught daily using a mastery approach that ensures deep understanding before moving forward. Setting begins in Year 5, allowing targeted support for those needing consolidation and extension for those ready to progress. Year 6 receives additional booster sessions in spring term to consolidate learning ahead of SATs, though staff emphasise this as refinement rather than intensive cramming.

Science benefits from a dedicated coordinator who has developed a knowledge-rich curriculum covering biology, chemistry, and physics concepts from Year 1. Practical experiments are timetabled regularly, and the school has invested in equipment that allows genuine hands-on investigation. Pupils talk enthusiastically about dissecting flowers, building circuits, and testing materials.

Computing is taught as a discrete subject from Year 1, covering coding, digital literacy, and online safety. The school has a suite of Chromebooks shared across classes, and pupils learn to use technology as a tool for research and creation.

French begins in Year 3, taught by a specialist who visits weekly. By Year 6, pupils can hold simple conversations and write short texts with increasing accuracy.

Religious education explores Christianity in depth while introducing other world religions. Visits to local places of worship, including a synagogue and mosque, broaden pupils' understanding beyond their own experience.

Class sizes average 30, which is standard for state primaries but feels manageable due to strong behaviour systems and additional adult support. Each class has access to teaching assistants, though not always full-time in every lesson. The school employs a dedicated Special Educational Needs Coordinator who oversees provision for approximately 25 pupils on the SEN register, representing roughly 12% of the roll. Support is tailored to individual need, ranging from in-class assistance to small-group interventions for literacy and numeracy.

Behaviour throughout the school is excellent. Pupils move calmly between lessons, hold doors for visitors, and greet adults politely. The behaviour policy is built on restorative principles: when conflicts arise, children are encouraged to reflect, apologise, and repair relationships. Exclusions are extremely rare.

A trained counsellor visits one day per week to work with pupils experiencing anxiety, friendship difficulties, or family challenges. This provision is valued by families navigating the pressures of inner London life. The school also runs a breakfast club from 8am, providing a calm start to the day for working parents and a nutritious meal for pupils who benefit from it.

Safeguarding is taken seriously, with staff trained to recognise signs of concern and clear protocols for reporting. The Designated Safeguarding Lead is accessible and responsive, working closely with local authority services when necessary.

Given the site constraints, extracurricular provision is necessarily selective rather than exhaustive. Clubs run after school four days per week, changing termly to allow broad access. Current offerings include football, netball, choir, art, coding, and chess. The school has secured a partnership with a nearby sports facility, allowing pupils access to better pitches and courts than the small playground could provide.

Music holds a prominent place in school life. All Year 4 pupils learn the recorder as part of the curriculum, and those showing aptitude or interest can progress to other instruments through peripatetic lessons arranged with the Hammersmith Music Service. The school choir performs at the annual carol service at St Peter's Church, a highlight of the calendar that draws families and the wider parish community. Smaller ensembles, including a guitar group and percussion ensemble, perform in assemblies and local festivals.

STEM: Building Foundations

Science clubs operate after school, led by staff with specialist knowledge. Recent projects have included building bridges from spaghetti, investigating the chemistry of baking, and exploring electricity through hands-on circuits. The school enters teams in local science competitions, with notable success in engineering challenges. Year 6 pupils recently designed and built waterproof boats, testing them in a paddling pool with surprising levels of competitiveness.

Drama is woven into the curriculum rather than offered as a standalone club. Each year group presents an assembly performance to parents at least once per year, and Year 6 stages a full production in the summer term. Recent productions have included adaptations of Roald Dahl stories and an ambitious staging of scenes from A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Sport is limited by space but enthusiastically pursued. The school fields teams in local football and netball leagues, and Sports Day takes place on the playing fields of a nearby secondary school. All pupils in Years 5 and 6 attend a week-long residential trip to the Isle of Wight, involving outdoor activities, team challenges, and coastal geography fieldwork. This trip is heavily subsidised by the school to ensure financial barriers do not prevent participation.

Wider community links include regular visits to a local care home, where pupils read to elderly residents and perform seasonal concerts. Harvest collections support a local food bank, and the school raises significant funds annually for Christian Aid. These activities connect the school's Christian values to tangible action, teaching pupils that faith involves service.

Admissions are coordinated by Hammersmith and Fulham Council, with applications submitted online by the mid-January deadline for September entry. St Peter's is consistently and heavily oversubscribed: in 2024, the school received 170 applications for 30 Reception places, representing 5.7 applications per place. First preference applicants alone outnumbered places by more than 2 to 1.

The admissions criteria prioritise children in care, then those with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school. After this, the criteria are faith-based:

1. Children who are practising members of the Church of England or another Christian denomination, with supporting evidence from a minister
2. Children of other faiths whose parents wish them to be educated in a Church of England school
3. Children whose parents express no particular faith preference

Within each category, distance from the school is the tiebreaker. The last child admitted in 2024 lived approximately 0.3 miles from the school gates under the first faith criterion. Families without Church attendance are unlikely to secure places unless they live exceptionally close.

Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place. Parents should verify current admission patterns before assuming eligibility. The school holds open mornings in October for prospective families. These are well-attended and booking is essential.

Supplementary Information Forms must be completed for faith applicants, requesting details of church attendance and a signature from the parish priest or minister. The school defines practising as regular attendance at public worship, typically at least twice per month over the two years preceding application.

The vast majority of Year 6 leavers progress to state secondary schools, with Hammersmith Academy, London Oratory School, and Sacred Heart High School among the most common destinations. A significant proportion sit the 11-plus for local grammar schools, including Latymer Upper School and St Paul's Girls' School, though these are independent rather than selective state schools. Some families pursue entry to independent day schools such as Godolphin and Latymer or Latymer Upper.

The school provides familiarisation with selective school entrance formats but does not offer intensive preparation. This is framed as ensuring pupils are not disadvantaged by unfamiliarity rather than coaching for entry. Families seeking rigorous 11-plus preparation typically arrange external tutoring, and this is common enough to be normalised rather than exceptional.

Transition arrangements with receiving secondary schools are strong. Staff liaise closely with local secondaries to ensure smooth handovers, particularly for pupils with SEND or other additional needs. Year 6 pupils visit their new schools in the summer term, and secondary staff visit St Peter's to meet their incoming cohort.

The school day runs from 8:55am to 3:15pm. Gates open at 8:45am, allowing a calm start without rush. Breakfast club operates from 8am, providing toast, cereal, and fruit in a supervised setting. This is particularly valued by working parents who need early drop-off. After-school care runs until 6pm, including a snack and supervised homework time. Both wraparound services are managed by the school and are reasonably priced compared to external providers.

The school is located on St Peter's Road in Hammersmith, within walking distance of Hammersmith Underground station (Piccadilly, District, Hammersmith & City, and Circle lines). Several bus routes stop nearby, and many families walk or cycle. There is no car parking on site, and the surrounding streets are controlled parking zones, making drop-off by car challenging during peak times.

School uniform is simple and affordable: grey trousers or skirt, white polo shirt, navy jumper with the school logo. PE kit consists of navy shorts, white t-shirt, and trainers. Uniform can be purchased from the school office or high street suppliers, keeping costs accessible.

Lunch is provided by a contracted catering company, with a daily choice including a hot main meal, vegetarian option, and jacket potato. Pupils can also bring packed lunches. Free school meals are available for eligible families, and the school encourages all who qualify to apply, as this brings additional funding that benefits all pupils.

Faith-based admissions criteria: Practising Church of England families have clear priority. Families without regular church attendance are unlikely to secure places unless living very close. The school is explicit about this: the Christian foundation is central, not incidental. Daily worship and religious education assume familiarity with Christian practice and belief. Families uncomfortable with this should look elsewhere.

Oversubscription and proximity: With 170 applications for 30 places in 2024, competition is fierce. Even under the first faith criterion, the last child admitted lived only 0.3 miles from the gates. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place. Families beyond this radius have minimal realistic chance unless circumstances change significantly.

Small school, limited space: Two hundred and ten pupils across seven year groups means limited specialist facilities. There is no dedicated science lab, no full-size sports hall, and a playground smaller than most suburban primaries. The school compensates with excellent teaching, careful timetabling, and partnerships with nearby facilities, but families accustomed to spacious suburban campuses will notice the difference.

Central London context: Traffic noise, air quality, and the intensity of urban life are realities. The school mitigates these through careful site management and off-site trips, but Hammersmith is not rural Hampshire. Some families value the diversity and opportunity of inner London; others find it exhausting.

St Peter's combines a strong Christian foundation with academic outcomes that place it among the elite primaries in England. Results speak clearly: 96% meeting expected standards and 53% achieving the higher standard in reading, writing, and mathematics reflects excellent teaching, high expectations, and a cohort stretched to fulfil potential. The Church of England ethos is genuine and pervasive, shaping the atmosphere, values, and community in ways that feel authentic rather than performative.

Best suited to practising Anglican families living very close to the school who want a small, nurturing environment with exceptional academic outcomes rooted in Christian values. The admissions criteria make this a realistic option only for those meeting faith requirements and living within the tight catchment. For families who secure places, the education provided is first-class, delivered by committed staff in a community where children are known, valued, and challenged.

The main barrier is entry itself. Oversubscription at 5.7 applicants per place means many families will be disappointed. Those who succeed gain access to a school that delivers outstanding results within a framework of Christian care and service.