Christ Church, Streatham Church of England Primary School Review 2026: High KS2 outcomes and a faith-led culture in Streatham

A soft-start morning routine sets the tone here, with drop-off from 8:30am and learning beginning at 8:55am, which can be a welcome buffer for working families and younger pupils settling into routines.

Academically, recent Key Stage 2 outcomes place the school well above England averages, with a particularly strong picture at the higher standard. In FindMySchool’s primary rankings, it sits in the top 10% of primary schools in England (top 10%). It also performs strongly within Lambeth. The school is a Church of England primary and is part of the Southwark Diocesan Board of Education Multi-Academy Trust, which shapes its ethos and governance.

Christ Church, Streatham Church of England Primary School puts its faith identity at the centre of school life, while remaining rooted in a local, mixed community intake. The school’s published values framework emphasises faith, hope and love, and that comes through as a set of practical expectations for how pupils treat each other and how adults speak about inclusion and aspiration.

The tone described in external review evidence is calm and relationship-led. Pupils are described as happy to come to school, behaviour is typically orderly, and routines are clear enough to support pupils with a wide range of needs, including those with special educational needs and disabilities. A key feature is that emotional literacy is treated as part of the day rather than an add-on, with structured moments for pupils to reflect on feelings and how these affect choices and language.

Leadership is currently under Mrs Charlotte Purcell (Headteacher), as shown on the school’s own published staffing information. The school also describes partnership working with another local Church school, St John’s Angell Town, while retaining its own admissions and inspection identity. That kind of arrangement often matters to families because it can broaden school improvement support and shared staff development, without removing the specific character of a smaller primary.

The most recent Key Stage 2 outcomes show a very strong picture. In 2024, 90.33% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 38% achieved the higher threshold in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%. Reading and mathematics scaled scores are also high at 110 and 108 respectively, with grammar, punctuation and spelling at 110.

This is not a story of narrow success in one area. The expected standard rates are high across reading (100%), mathematics (89%), and grammar, punctuation and spelling (96%). Science is lower at 75% reaching the expected standard, compared with an England average of 82%, which is worth noting because it can point to cohort variation, curriculum sequencing, or assessment emphasis across year groups.

Ranking context helps translate those results. Ranked 812th in England and 9th in Lambeth for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school sits comfortably in the top 10% of primary schools in England (top 10%). This matters for parents because it suggests the school is not only outperforming England averages, it is doing so consistently enough to stand out in a large national comparison group.

Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and the Comparison Tool to view results side-by-side, particularly useful in a borough where several schools sit within a short travel radius.

Reading is positioned as a whole-school priority in the latest inspection evidence, with structured early reading, well-matched books, and targeted catch-up support for pupils who fall behind. This is reinforced by the school’s own curriculum information, which describes a phonics programme designed to build knowledge in a systematic sequence, alongside daily opportunities for pupils to hear high-quality stories and develop vocabulary and comprehension.

In mathematics, the inspection evidence points to a carefully planned curriculum that starts early, uses purposeful resources, and moves pupils from concrete understanding into confident application, including problem-solving. The implication for families is that children who thrive on clarity and routine may find the structure supportive, while children who need more open-ended learning can still access challenge through problem-solving and application tasks.

Languages is a distinctive curricular feature for a one-form-entry primary. The school publishes that French is the chosen language in Key Stage 2, linked to local context and the make-up of the community, and delivered through a structured scheme (Kapow Primary). For pupils, that often means a more secure transition into secondary language learning, especially where secondary schools assume prior exposure to key concepts such as pronunciation, basic grammar patterns, and listening confidence.

The latest Ofsted inspection report was published in May 2022 and confirmed the school continues to be Good.

As a Church of England primary serving Streatham and the wider Lambeth area, most pupils move on to a mix of local comprehensive secondary schools across Lambeth and neighbouring boroughs, with applications handled through coordinated local authority arrangements. For families, the practical point is that Year 6 is not just about readiness for secondary learning, it is also about navigating admissions rules that vary between boroughs, academies and faith schools.

Transition preparation is typically strongest when schools combine academic readiness with pastoral readiness. Here, the emphasis on routines, behaviour expectations, and emotional self-management described in the inspection evidence should support pupils as they move into larger, more complex secondary settings.

If your shortlist includes multiple secondaries, it is worth mapping likely travel times now, and then revisiting closer to application season, since transport routes and travel preferences can change.

Reception entry is coordinated through the Pan-London eAdmissions process. The school states that the portal opens on 1 September 2025 and usually closes around 15 January 2026 for September 2026 entry.

Faith-based criteria matter here. The school notes that families applying for a Church place also need to complete a Supplementary Information Form and a Clergy Form, returned to the school by 15 January 2026. This is the part of the process that often catches families out, not because it is difficult, but because the school deadline can sit alongside the local authority deadline.

Demand is real but not extreme by inner-London standards. For the most recent data point available there were 49 applications for 27 offers on the Reception entry route, indicating about 1.81 applications per offer. That level of competition can still be decisive in a faith-based admissions structure, because small changes in priority categories can shift outcomes for families near the boundary of eligibility.

The school also explains that in-year applications (Reception to Year 6) are handled directly by the school rather than through Lambeth admissions, which can make mid-year moves more straightforward in practice, provided a place exists in the relevant year group.

Open day planning is unusually clear. The school lists multiple tour dates spanning October 2025 through June 2026. For families reading this on 26 January 2026, the next listed tour date is 11 February 2026.

For families that rely on proximity, FindMySchoolMap Search remains useful even when the last offered distance is not publicly available in your dataset, because it helps you understand practical walkability and travel time, and it can help you sanity-check whether this school is realistic alongside your other choices.

Pastoral support is closely tied to culture and routine. The inspection evidence describes an approach where pupils are supported to recognise emotions, reflect on how feelings shape behaviour, and take increasing responsibility for choices and language. Bullying is described as rare, with systems in place to address concerns quickly.

Safeguarding is the baseline question for any family. The same inspection report states that safeguarding arrangements are effective. This is the practical reassurance parents need before moving on to questions of enrichment and outcomes.

On the inclusion side, the inspection evidence states that pupils with special educational needs and disabilities access the same broad curriculum as peers, with needs identified and supported through teaching adjustments. For families, the implication is that the school’s model leans toward inclusive classroom practice rather than separating pupils away from the main curriculum experience.

Extracurricular provision is small-school in scale, but clear in its intent. The school describes after-school activities including football club, cookery club, computing club, and basketball club. It also describes staff-led clubs such as computing and coding, cookery and gardening, alongside sports clubs supported by a coaching partner, with sessions typically running 3:25pm to 4:25pm.

The value of this mix is that it is not purely sport-led. Computing and coding can provide structured problem-solving practice, cookery can reinforce sequencing, measurement and independence, and gardening can suit pupils who prefer hands-on learning. For a one-form-entry school, that breadth matters because it can help pupils find a niche, especially those who are less motivated by traditional sports clubs.

Wider cultural capital also appears in the inspection evidence through references to visits and experiences such as opera and art galleries, and structured opportunities for pupils to engage in civic life, including a visit to County Hall to discuss air pollution with the Mayor of London. In practical terms, these experiences build vocabulary, confidence in formal settings, and a sense that learning connects to the wider city.

The school day is structured around a soft start. Drop-off begins at 8:30am, learning begins at 8:55am, and the school day ends at 3:25pm.

Wraparound care is published on the school website, with breakfast club running 7:30am to 8:45am and after-school club running 3:15pm to 6:00pm.

For travel, the local area has multiple bus connections and rail access within a short bus ride, including Streatham Hill and Tulse Hill stations. As always, it is worth checking actual door-to-door time at school-run hours, since rush-hour congestion and bus reliability can change the daily experience more than straight-line distance.

• Science outcomes are comparatively lower than the school’s other KS2 measures. 75% reached the expected standard in science, below the England average of 82%. Families may want to ask how science knowledge is sequenced across Key Stage 2, and how assessment is used to check retention.

• Faith-based admissions adds an extra layer of administration. Families applying for Church places need to complete additional forms by 15 January 2026. That is manageable, but deadlines and evidence requirements matter.

• Oversubscription is meaningful even without extreme application volumes. With about 1.81 applications per offer in the most recent dataset point for Reception entry, some families will miss out, particularly where priority categories are tight.

• Open day availability is good, but dates move quickly. Tours run across the year; families should rely on the school’s latest calendar and book early where sessions have limited capacity.

Christ Church, Streatham Church of England Primary School is a high-performing Lambeth primary with a clear faith-led identity and a structured approach to learning, behaviour and wellbeing. Its KS2 outcomes and local ranking place it well above England averages, while curriculum priorities such as early reading and a structured maths approach are supported by external evidence.

Best suited to families who want a Church of England ethos embedded into daily life, value clear routines, and are prepared to navigate a competitive admissions process with additional faith-based paperwork.