Culloden Primary - A Paradigm Academy Review 2026, an ambitious Tower Hamlets primary with an expert inclusion offer

High expectations and a carefully sequenced curriculum sit at the centre of life at Culloden Primary - A Paradigm Academy, a large, mixed primary in Poplar with Nursery provision. The most recent published Key Stage 2 outcomes show strong attainment across reading, writing and mathematics, backed up by high scaled scores in reading, mathematics, and grammar, punctuation and spelling.

In June 2025 the school received top grades across every inspected area, including early years. The report describes a calm, happy culture where pupils feel safe, settle quickly, and learn in a setting that takes inclusion seriously, including specialist support for deaf pupils.

For families, the practical headline is competition. Reception entry is coordinated by Tower Hamlets and the school was oversubscribed in the latest admissions cycle represented here, with 92 applications for 68 offers, around 1.35 applicants per place. Nursery admissions for September 2026 have a separate deadline and process, and attending Nursery does not give priority for Reception.

There is a clear tone of purposeful calm running through the way the school describes itself, and through the formal picture captured in the latest inspection report. Staff set very high expectations and are explicit about behaviour and routines, which matters in a large primary where consistency is the difference between order and noise.

Inclusion is not treated as a bolt-on. The school runs a Deaf Support Base offering specialist support from Nursery to Year 6 for up to 30 pupils, using a total communication approach that draws on Sign Supported English and British Sign Language alongside other methods of communication. Weekly British Sign Language lessons are part of that offer, and the base describes a wider team approach that includes speech and language therapy input during the week.

Leadership sits within the Paradigm Trust structure. Mrs Tahreena Ward is listed as Principal, and trust-wide oversight includes a chief executive officer and board of trustees. For parents this is useful context, because in a multi-academy trust some decisions are shared, including curriculum architecture, staff development, and admissions arrangements.

Nursery life is integrated into the main school, rather than operating as a separate early years site. The Nursery description emphasises free-flow access to a dedicated outdoor space for Early Years Foundation Stage children, and a structured settling-in approach that begins before a child’s first sessions. For families with a child new to group settings, that staged start can reduce anxiety and improve early attendance.

This is one of the higher-performing primaries in England on the most recent published Key Stage 2 measures included here. The combined reading, writing and mathematics figure is 78.33%, compared with an England average of 62%. That is a meaningful gap, and it matters to families because it suggests strong whole-cohort consistency, not just a small top set doing well.

At the higher standard, 34.67% of pupils achieved greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with the England average of 8%. That is a stand-out indicator of stretch for higher attainers.

Scaled scores also point to a strong profile, with reading at 107 and mathematics at 109, alongside a grammar, punctuation and spelling score of 106. In practice, a results picture like this usually reflects two things done well at the same time, effective teaching of basics, plus a curriculum that steadily builds knowledge so later learning is easier.

In FindMySchool’s primary rankings, the school is ranked 3,015th in England and 28th in Tower Hamlets for primary outcomes, placing it above England average and comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England. These are proprietary FindMySchool rankings based on official data.

Curriculum design is treated as a serious discipline here. The latest formal report describes a highly ambitious curriculum that is logically sequenced from early years upwards, so pupils build knowledge in a planned way and are ready for more complex ideas later. One example given is mathematics, where secure number and place value work earlier on supports confident multi-step problem solving in older year groups.

Reading is approached systematically from the start of Reception via a structured phonics programme, with books sent home aligned to the sounds pupils are learning. That alignment sounds simple, but it is often where reading programmes either succeed or slip. When the book matches the taught code, pupils rehearse the right patterns and gain fluency faster.

Early years practice is presented as hands-on and well resourced, including an emphasis on outdoor learning and safe risk-taking that supports physical development. Nursery learning is described through topics across the year and a weekly music session, giving children regular rhythm and repetition alongside new content. Parents looking for an early start that still feels like childhood will appreciate that blend.

Special educational needs support appears layered rather than reactive. Leaders identify needs quickly and staff adapt classroom activities so pupils can learn alongside peers. For deaf pupils specifically, the offer combines targeted interventions, learning in mainstream classes, and signing support so pupils can access the same curriculum content confidently.

As a Nursery to Year 6 school, the key transition point is Year 7. For families in Poplar and the wider Tower Hamlets area, this typically means planning early around secondary transfer, including visits, preferences, and travel routes across the borough and beyond.

A practical point for parents with younger children is that Nursery does not function as a guaranteed feeder route into Reception. Local authority guidance for Tower Hamlets is explicit that attending a nursery class does not automatically confer priority for Reception at the same school. So, even if a child is thriving in Nursery, families still need to submit a Reception application through the coordinated process.

If you want a more data-driven shortlist, FindMySchool’s Local Hub and Comparison Tool can help you compare likely destination secondaries side by side, rather than relying on reputation alone.

Reception entry is coordinated through Tower Hamlets’ admissions process, rather than directly with the school. For September 2026 Reception entry, the published Tower Hamlets deadline was 15 January 2026, with applications made through the London eAdmissions portal. As of 27 January 2026, that deadline has passed, so families who missed it should follow the council’s late application guidance.

Nursery admissions are separate. For a Nursery place starting September 2026, Tower Hamlets states a closing date of 14 February 2026 for on-time applications. The school’s admissions information also points parents to the borough’s online application route for Nursery.

Competition is real. In the latest cycle represented here, there were 92 applications for 68 offers, which is about 1.35 applicants per place, and the entry route is marked oversubscribed. That kind of ratio does not mean every family is rejected, but it does mean preferences and priority criteria matter. If you are moving house, use FindMySchoolMap Search to measure distances precisely, then keep an eye on annual variation because the pattern changes with each cohort.

Pastoral care here is framed as part of daily routines and leadership roles, not a separate programme that sits outside learning. The inspection report describes pupils who feel safe and trust staff to help if they have worries, which is a key baseline for learning, particularly in a diverse intake with pupils joining at different points in the year.

Behaviour is described as exceptionally strong, supported by clear expectations and adult modelling of politeness and kindness. More importantly, pupils are taught the skills to manage emotions and to understand difference, which links directly to inclusion and to the day-to-day experience in classrooms and playgrounds.

Attendance is treated as an active partnership with families, including persistence where absence becomes a concern and work with external agencies where needed. That kind of approach tends to matter in a borough context where family circumstances and housing stability can create pressure on regular attendance.

Extracurricular choices are practical and structured rather than being left to chance. The published clubs list includes Multi-Sports Club, Mixed Football Club, Musical Theatre Club, Dance Club, Girls Games, Ukulele Club, Badminton Club, and Gardening Club. For parents, the value here is breadth across physical activity, performance, and creative time, plus options that suit different confidence levels.

There is also a wider enrichment strand described as a “hinterland curriculum”, including social dining experiences that explicitly teach etiquette and manners, and pupil leadership roles such as well-being ambassadors, pupil managers, and a school council. This is more than a badge system. The implication is that children practise responsibility and public role-holding from a young age, which can translate into confidence in secondary school settings.

The Deaf Support Base adds an additional layer of community for pupils with hearing impairment, including a weekly British Sign Language lunchtime club, reading-related sessions, and friendship groups that bring pupils together as a deaf community within the mainstream school. That combination can support both identity and access to learning.

The school day runs from 8:55am to 3:30pm, with registration shortly after the start. Morning break and lunch timings are set out clearly, with different lunch slots by age.

Wraparound care is available for pupils from Reception to Year 6, with breakfast provision before learning hours and an after-school session running until 5:30pm. Each after-school session is listed at £5 per day, with payment via the school’s platform. Nursery wraparound arrangements differ, and families should check the current Nursery information directly.

For travel, the school encourages walking where possible and notes a bicycle hut for families who cycle. Drivers are asked to avoid stopping on yellow lines and to park considerately, which is worth noting given the local street environment around drop-off and pick-up.

• Oversubscription pressure. With 92 applications for 68 offers in the latest cycle represented here, entry can be competitive. If you are relying on a place, build a realistic plan B early.

• Reception deadlines move fast. For September 2026 entry, the borough deadline was 15 January 2026, which fell before the end of the spring term. Families new to the system often underestimate how early applications need to be prepared.

• Nursery does not guarantee Reception. Even if your child attends the school’s Nursery, Tower Hamlets guidance is clear that you still need to make a Reception application through the coordinated route, and Nursery attendance does not automatically confer priority.

• Specialist provision within a mainstream setting. The Deaf Support Base is a major strength for the right child, but families should take time to understand how support is delivered day to day, and how much learning happens in mainstream classes versus targeted interventions.

Culloden Primary - A Paradigm Academy combines high academic standards with a well-developed inclusion model and a practical, structured approach to wider development. The outcomes data suggests pupils leave Year 6 with strong foundations, and the enrichment offer is designed to build confidence and responsibility, not just fill time.

Who it suits: families who want a large, well-organised primary with strong attainment, clear routines, and a serious commitment to inclusion, including specialist support for deaf pupils. The main constraint is securing a place, so admissions planning and deadlines need careful attention.