Zakariya Primary School Review 2026: Islamic primary in Forest Gate with improving momentum

What can be said, based on formal evidence, is that the school is judged Good overall for educational quality, and that pupils make good progress and are prepared for their next stages.

For parents who like to compare local primary performance on a like-for-like basis, this is a moment where using FindMySchool’s local comparison tools is genuinely helpful. In Newham, outcomes and cohort profiles vary widely between neighbouring schools, so it is worth looking at several options side-by-side, not just the closest one.

The February 2025 inspection is clear that the curriculum has been rebuilt and is now better sequenced, broader, and more ambitious than before, with learning steps that make progression clearer across subjects.

Reading is an identified strength. Pupils read fluently and with enthusiasm, teachers deliver the chosen phonics programme consistently, and pupils who fall behind are supported to catch up quickly. Books are matched carefully to pupils’ phonics stage, and reading culture is reinforced through access to class and school libraries.

The next development area is staff subject knowledge. The inspection notes that subject expertise is not consistently strong across all subjects, and that this can limit depth when pupils reach more complex concepts. Leaders have already started training to address this, but it remains the main improvement priority.

As a primary school, the next transition point is secondary admission (Year 7). Zakariya Primary School does not publish destination data in the sources used here, so it is not possible to list the most common secondary schools pupils attend.

Practically, families should plan early for Year 6, because Pan-London secondary applications follow a fixed calendar, and popular local schools can be competitive. A sensible approach is to shortlist a spread of realistic options by travel time and admissions criteria, then check your likely position using distance tools and the most recent admissions information for each school.

Reception entry (normal point of entry)

For children starting Reception in September 2026, Newham sets out the standard application route via the eAdmissions system. The national closing date is 15 January 2026, and the national offer date is 16 April 2026.

If you are applying for a later year (for example, September 2027), the pattern is broadly the same each year: applications open in early autumn, close mid-January, and offers are released mid-April. Always verify the exact dates on the council’s admissions pages for the relevant year.

In-year applications

If you move mid-year or want to change school outside the normal entry point, Newham operates an in-year process with its own form and rules.

How competitive is it?

. That means this review cannot quantify demand. In practice, competitiveness for a small independent primary can be driven as much by ethos fit and family networks as by geography, so visiting, asking specific questions, and understanding the school’s expectations matters.

Safeguarding is confirmed as effective in the February 2025 inspection report.

Support for pupils with additional needs is described as more structured, with clear processes for identifying need, collaboration with the local authority and external professionals, and adjustments to curriculum expectations where required. Parents and carers are described as valuing the support and communication they receive.

For families, the practical question to explore is capacity: in a small school, systems can be strong but staffing is finite. Ask how support is delivered day-to-day, what specialist input is available, and how progress is tracked for pupils who need adjustments.

The February 2025 inspection notes educational trips such as visits to local museums and parks, plus occasional larger outings that pupils find motivating. It also highlights an active school council that has influenced tangible changes, including the introduction of swimming.

In a smaller primary, enrichment often looks different to a large, multi-form setting. You may see fewer formal clubs but more whole-school experiences and responsibilities. Here, the combination of trips, pupil leadership through the council, and added opportunities like swimming points to a school that is building breadth and community participation, not only focusing on core subjects.

If after-school clubs, competitions, or structured programmes matter to your child, ask for the current term’s timetable and what typically runs across the year. Small schools can be very responsive, but provision can vary depending on staff availability.

Zakariya Primary School is an independent school, so families should plan for tuition fees. The most recently published figure in official documentation is £2,880 per year for day pupils, recorded in the February 2025 inspection report.

The same report does not set out bursaries, scholarships, or fee remission arrangements. If financial assistance is important, ask directly about means-tested support, payment plans, and what the fee includes (for example, whether any meals, trips, or swimming costs are covered).

Zakariya Primary School is a small, independent primary serving ages 5 to 11, with a published capacity of 120 and around 101 pupils on roll at the time of the February 2025 inspection.

For travel planning, families typically consider walking routes and bus connections along the Romford Road corridor; as always in London, journey time at drop-off can be very different from a quiet weekend test run.

• Recent improvement journey. The school’s overall judgement moved from Inadequate previously to Good in February 2025, which is encouraging, but it also means families should ask what has changed, what is now embedded, and what the next priorities are.

• Teaching expertise consistency. The main improvement point is ensuring teachers’ subject knowledge is consistently strong across all subjects, so depth is not uneven from one area of the curriculum to another.

• Wraparound care is not clearly published. If you need childcare outside the core school day, verify what is currently offered and whether it runs every day of the week.

Zakariya Primary School is a small Islamic independent primary that, on the most recent formal evidence, is providing a Good standard of education with strong relationships, effective safeguarding, and a more coherent, ambitious curriculum than in the recent past.

Best suited to families who want a faith-centred primary experience in a smaller setting, and who value a school that now appears to be on a more stable footing after a period of significant change.