Crampton Primary School Review 2026: Top 2% Excellence in Walworth

Over 140 years old, Crampton Street School first opened its doors in 1883 to serve the children of this south London community. The Victorian era building was destroyed during the Second World War, but the London County Council rebuilt the school in 1965 with a forward-looking, light-filled design that still stands today, windows stretching from floor to ceiling above the playing fields. Now known as Crampton Primary, it ranks in the top 2% of primary schools in England (FindMySchool ranking, 162nd nationally), maintaining Outstanding status from its April 2024 Ofsted inspection.

The school is unapologetically ambitious. 90% of pupils meet expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics combined, well above the England average of 62%. Scaled scores in reading, mathematics and grammar are consistently above 110, showing pupils achieve well beyond the baseline. With 30 reception places available each year and nearly 3.3 applications per place, entry is highly competitive. This is a school where learning is the dominant currency, where diversity is celebrated, and where expectations for every pupil are unwaveringly high.

The atmosphere at Crampton Primary is one of purposeful calm combined with genuine warmth. Pupils value education visibly. They take pride in their learning, ask intriguing questions about the world around them, and behave with what inspectors describe as exceptional standards. The school itself feels like a place where education is central to everything. Walking through the building reveals a community where high expectations are normal, not exceptional.

Leadership from Miss Marian Kennedy shapes the culture. The school is described by Ofsted as a nurturing learning community where pupils thrive, yet this nurture never becomes softness. Teachers equip pupils with specific learning behaviours and expect them to master the skills needed for success. Kindness towards peers and deep appreciation for difference are woven through daily practice. Pupils speak proudly about their school. They relish opportunities to take on leadership roles, such as becoming Crampton Collaborators, where they act as agents of change. Recent examples include pupil campaigns that successfully improved the school menu.

The diversity of the Crampton community is an asset, not a challenge. Over 38% of pupils speak English as an additional language. Staff are proud to work in this multicultural environment where differences and achievements are celebrated equally. Pupils are explicitly taught that everything learned at Crampton is meant to be transferred beyond the school to make a better community.

KS2 Performance

Crampton Primary's assessment results are among the strongest in London. In 2024, 90% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared to the England average of 62%. This represents performance well above national benchmarks.

Reading scaled scores averaged 112, with 63% achieving the higher standard (110+). Mathematics scores averaged 110, with 47% at higher standard. Grammar, punctuation and spelling averaged 112, with 57% achieving the higher standard. In science, 90% met the expected standard, in line with the England average of 82%.

What these figures mean: Crampton pupils don't just meet the baseline; they demonstrably excel within and beyond it. Nearly three-quarters of entrants hit higher standards in core subjects, indicating the school is developing secure, confident learners ready for secondary study.

Rankings

The school ranks 162nd in England for primary performance, placing it in the elite tier (top 2%) according to FindMySchool data. Locally, it ranks 2nd among Southwark primaries. This consistent positioning in the highest percentile reflects not a single exceptional year, but sustained excellence over time. The 2014 Ofsted inspection also awarded Outstanding, and this April 2024 inspection confirmed that standard.

Ofsted inspectors noted that teachers deliver lessons that capture and challenge pupils' interest and imagination. The curriculum is ambitious and carefully planned, identifying essential knowledge and skills pupils need to understand and remember over time. Rather than rushing through content, teachers revisit learning systematically, address misconceptions quickly, and build a comprehensive body of knowledge.

The phonics approach exemplifies this rigour. Staff deliver phonics lessons expertly from Reception onwards, and quickly intervene if any pupil risks falling behind. The result is fluent readers who enjoy taking books home and can discuss key characters and events with confidence. In mathematics, teachers revisit numerical methods with precision, enabling pupils to become confident mathematicians. In art, pupils learn about different artists' work and explore various techniques in creating their own projects.

Across the curriculum, teachers systematically check what pupils have learned. They encourage deep and critical thinking, requiring pupils to be keen participants in discussions and willing to share their ideas. Pupils display consistently positive attitudes to learning and are highly motivated.

The school is swift in identifying pupils' needs and forensic in unpicking barriers to readiness for learning. Leaders and staff show genuine care and ambition for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities. Every pupil receives the pastoral support needed to flourish, beginning from the moment they start in Reception.

Attendance and punctuality are tracked closely, and leaders work with parents to promote good attendance. Safeguarding arrangements are effective, and the school has created an open, positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.

Emotional wellbeing is woven through school life. An Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) is available to pupils who need additional emotional support. Year groups are small, allowing staff to know children deeply. Reception children in particular benefit from carefully planned provision where they make choices confidently and select their own resources when playing independently or with peers.

The breadth of enrichment at Crampton Primary is substantial and carefully considered. Pupils enjoy visits to galleries, museums and other places of educational interest. Many take part in after-school clubs that include sports and performing arts. Breakfast club opens from 8am, offering activities including Lego, colouring and reading before the school day begins. After-school clubs run throughout the term with rotating programmes.

Physical Education & Sports

Physical education is a significant strength. The curriculum spans dance, gymnastics, basketball, athletics, cricket, tag rugby, and football. Key Stage 1 children master fundamental multi-skills, while Key Stage 2 pupils tackle a full range of sports with progression and challenge. Swimming is compulsory and delivered with high-quality progression from Reception onwards.

The school joined the Bacons College PE and School Sports Network in 2019 as a non-member school, becoming a full network member in 2020. This partnership brings specialist coaches to deliver focused activities, develop pupil skills, and offer young people chances to join leadership programmes and volunteer at wider events. The PE and School Sports Network also offers a dedicated SEND PE Teaching Programme, ensuring pupils with additional needs access high-quality physical activity.

Arts and Creative Opportunities

Drama and visual arts feature prominently in school life. The inspection report specifically highlights pupils' learning about different artists' work and their exploration of various techniques in creating art projects. Dance festivals, performances, and international evenings provide opportunities for pupils to showcase their talents. The curriculum includes dedicated drama and music strands.

Leadership Opportunities

Pupils take on formal leadership roles through the Crampton Collaborators programme. These roles are not ceremonial. Collaborators act successfully to bring about improvements within the school environment. Recent pupil campaigns have achieved tangible results, such as successfully lobbying to update the school menu, demonstrating that pupil voice genuinely influences school decisions.

Enrichment Beyond the Classroom

The personal, social and health education curriculum is sequenced with care. Leaders are passionate about enriching pupils' experiences beyond core academic subjects. Pupils are exposed to diverse cultural experiences, international evenings celebrate the school's multicultural community, and sports events showcase athletic achievement. From their first day at Crampton, pupils learn what it means to be active, responsible citizens.

Crampton Primary operates as a one-form entry school with 30 places available in Reception each year. The school is consistently oversubscribed, with 98 applications for the 30 Reception places in the most recent admissions round (3.27 applications per place). Parents must apply through Southwark's coordinated admissions process in the autumn of the year before their child starts school. The local authority allocates places after considering looked-after children and those with Education, Health and Care Plans naming the school, then by proximity to school gates.

In 2024, the last distance offered was 1.265 miles. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place. Families wishing to apply are strongly advised to submit applications on time and complete their full list of preferred schools through Southwark's system.

Once families receive their allocation, transition into Reception is carefully managed. In the summer term before September entry, parents are invited to meet the Reception teacher and head teacher, allowing the school to introduce itself and become familiar with each child before they start.

School hours run from 8:50am to 3:20pm. Breakfast club operates from 8am until 8:30am, offering breakfast and activities including Lego, colouring and reading. After-school clubs run during term times and provide supervised activities in sports and performing arts; parents should inquire at the school office about availability and costs, as some clubs are popular and operate waiting lists.

Transport links are excellent. The school is located on Iliffe Street in Walworth, close to Walworth Road and within walking distance of multiple bus routes serving central and south London. The area is pedestrian-friendly with established walking routes from surrounding residential roads.

Competitive admissions. With 3.27 applications per place, securing entry requires living within 1.265 miles of the school gates. Distances vary year to year, and any family seriously considering Crampton should verify their current proximity before making housing decisions or expecting a guaranteed place.

High academic focus. This school is unambiguously academic in culture. Pupils are expected to work hard, think carefully, and take pride in their learning from day one. Families seeking a more play-based or relaxed approach to primary education should consider alternatives.

One-form entry. With only 30 places per year, social dynamics and sibling progression are tight. If your child's sibling attends Crampton, entry is prioritized, but new families compete within the same criteria. Families who value smaller peer groups will appreciate this; those preferring larger year groups should look elsewhere.

Diversity of needs. While the school is inclusive and has strong SEND support, it is mainstream and follows the standard curriculum. Families with children requiring specialist provision beyond the school's resource allocation would need to explore alternative settings.

Crampton Primary is a school firing on all cylinders. Outstanding results, exceptional teaching, strong pastoral care, and a culture where learning is genuinely celebrated combine to create a genuinely excellent primary school. The April 2024 Ofsted inspection confirmed what parents already know: this is a place where every pupil is expected to succeed and where the school works relentlessly to make that happen. Entry is the single greatest hurdle; those who secure places will find their children in a school that combines ambition with warmth, rigour with inclusion, and high expectations with genuine care.

Best suited to families living within reasonable proximity who are looking for an academically ambitious, warm, and inclusive primary education where their child will be known well by staff and expected to achieve.