Stebon Primary School Review 2026: Ambitious outcomes, strong character education, and serious wraparound support

Stebon Primary School combines high academic standards with a clear focus on character and citizenship. The most recent Ofsted inspection (July 2023) rated the school Outstanding across every area, including early years provision.

It is a three-form entry primary serving families in Limehouse, within Tower Hamlets, with nursery provision and an established two-year-old offer (introduced in April 2022). Families often notice two practical strengths early on, the school’s structured routines around learning and behaviour, and a wraparound offer that goes beyond the usual breakfast and after-school clubs, including a long-running Saturday programme.

This is a state school, so there are no tuition fees. Day-to-day costs are more likely to be around optional clubs, trips, and uniform, rather than core schooling.

The school’s tone is purposeful and community-minded, with children encouraged to take responsibility for others, not only themselves. A notable example is the use of older pupils as playground buddies, supporting younger children at breaktimes. That is not simply a nice extra; it signals a culture where leadership is normalised early, and where staff expect pupils to look out for one another.

Character education is also formalised rather than left to chance. The school’s ‘Explorers’ curriculum is designed to build traits such as kindness, citizenship, teamwork and leadership. The implication for families is that personal development is embedded in the timetable, not bolted on at the end of term.

Leadership continuity is another defining element. Jeremy Iver is the current headteacher, and official records show that he and Jo Franklin were appointed as headteachers in 2012. For parents, that long tenure usually translates into consistent expectations, stable systems, and less churn in school priorities.

Stebon’s Key Stage 2 outcomes sit among the stronger primary results in England. In 2024, 89.67% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined. England’s average is 62%, so this is materially higher. At the higher standard, 38% achieved greater depth compared with an England average of 8%. These figures indicate strength across the cohort, not only for a small group at the top.

Scaled scores reinforce the picture. Reading is 111, mathematics 110, and grammar, punctuation and spelling 110. Results like these usually reflect a combination of clear curriculum sequencing and strong classroom routines, because high attainment at primary level is difficult to sustain without consistency across year groups.

On FindMySchool’s primary outcomes ranking, Stebon is ranked 389th in England and 6th in Tower Hamlets. That places it well above the England average, comfortably within the top 10% of primary schools in England, and close to the top 3% by rank position. Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub pages to view these outcomes side-by-side using the Comparison Tool.

The clearest theme is curriculum ambition and the expectation that pupils will grapple with substantive content, even in primary years. Year 4’s study of Shakespeare, including performance in costume to parents and carers in a London theatre, is a good example. The point is not theatre as a one-off experience; it is that the curriculum assumes pupils can handle complex texts and contexts when they are properly taught.

The curriculum also seems deliberately sequenced. In design and technology, pupils build increasingly complex mechanisms over time, reaching projects in Year 6 that require thinking about materials and load bearing. That kind of progression matters because it helps children connect knowledge across years, rather than treating each unit as a standalone topic.

Early reading is given high priority, with phonics beginning from the start of Reception and targeted support used quickly when children fall behind. This is important for families because early reading drives later access to the wider curriculum, especially for pupils learning English as an additional language.

Nursery provision and early years

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place, and families should plan on making a separate Reception application through the local authority process. Early years practice is described in official reports as carefully designed across indoor and outdoor areas, with strong attention to early language and communication, including for two-year-old children.

For parents, the practical implication is that the early years offer is likely to suit children who benefit from structured language development and well-planned routines, while still providing play-based learning that is responsive to children’s emerging needs.

As a Tower Hamlets primary, transition is typically into the borough’s secondary system, with applications made through the local authority process. For families new to Tower Hamlets, it is worth knowing that Year 7 admissions in the borough include a banding assessment as part of the coordinated approach.

Within Stebon, preparation for the next stage begins earlier than many parents expect, not as formal “secondary coaching”, but through habits that travel well, reading stamina, precise vocabulary, and confidence speaking to an audience. The Shakespeare performance model is one example of building that confidence over time.

Because the school serves ages 3 to 11, families should also think about continuity. If you want a single all-through placement, this is not that model. If you prefer a strong primary foundation before choosing from multiple secondary routes, Stebon fits well.

Demand is evident in the application figures available. The latest available data shows 148 applications and 88 offers for primary entry, with the school oversubscribed and around 1.68 applications per place. That level of demand typically means criteria and distance matter, even for families who already have links to the school.

Reception admissions are coordinated by Tower Hamlets. The closing date for applications for September 2026 entry is midnight on 15 January 2026. National offer day is 16 April 2026, when outcomes can be viewed via the admissions portal. Nursery admissions for September 2026 entry, for eligible children born between 1 September 2022 and 31 August 2023, close on 14 February 2026, with outcomes issued on 7 May 2026 and acceptance due by 21 May 2026.

The school publishes its admissions arrangements and policies for 2026 to 27, including confirmation that nursery attendance does not provide priority for Reception. Parents who want to understand their likely position should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their distance against historic last-offered distances, and to sanity-check travel time for daily routines.

Pastoral support is presented as a whole-school responsibility rather than a single department. The school’s safeguarding arrangements are described as effective, and the wider picture is of staff who know families well and work with external agencies when needed.

SEND support is a notable strength in the published evidence. Pupils with SEND are identified early, supported by adults described as expert in their roles, and taught through the same curriculum rather than an entirely separate track. The practical implication is that support aims to keep pupils included in core learning, while adapting teaching and scaffolding to help them succeed.

Family support also extends beyond the usual school model. The school describes employing a social worker two days a week and offering access to a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service family adviser drop-in, alongside a full-time Family Engagement Lead who can help families navigate wider issues. For some parents, that level of wraparound, especially when combined with strong attendance expectations, is a deciding factor.

Stebon is not reliant on generic “clubs” language; it runs several named, distinctive strands.

One pillar is the ‘Explorers’ programme, which operates as a curriculum component rather than an optional club. It includes entrepreneurship projects for older pupils, with children designing products, managing a budget, and selling what they create. This gives pupils practical experience of planning and teamwork, and it also develops confidence speaking to adults and peers about their work.

A second pillar is structured leadership opportunities. The eco-team takes part in sustainability projects, and the school council is positioned as a route to shaping playground improvements. This matters because it gives pupils real influence, which can be particularly motivating for children who thrive on responsibility.

Wraparound activities are also unusually developed. The school runs a long-established Saturday School, SHINE @ Stebon, with a set number of places for Years 3 to 6, combining enrichment activities with trips and workshops. During the week, after-school clubs typically run from 3.30pm to 4.30pm, with a later Teatime Club option for working families that runs to 5.30pm and includes nursery-aged children.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. The main costs families typically plan for are uniform, trips, and optional clubs.

For wraparound, Breakfast Club is priced at £1 per day for one-off attendance, or £5 per day-of-the-week for the term (for example, every Monday for a term). Nursery provision follows the borough’s funded entitlements, and families should check eligibility for 15 or 30 funded hours via official childcare funding guidance.

The school day finishes at 3.30pm, with home-time gate arrangements typically running until 3.45pm. Morning gate windows for pupils are published as 8.55am to 9.10am. Breakfast Club runs from 8.00am, with children able to arrive between 8.00am and 8.40am.

For nursery-aged children, published timings include morning drop-off and pick-up windows that differ from the main school day, which can be helpful for families managing siblings across phases.

In travel terms, the school is within easy reach of Docklands Light Railway links in the Limehouse and Poplar area. Families planning a move should test the route at peak drop-off times, not only during the day, because traffic and public transport crowding can change the experience materially.

• Competition for places. The latest available admissions data shows 148 applications for 88 offers, so families should treat admissions as competitive and understand the borough criteria early.

• Nursery does not secure Reception. Even if a child attends nursery at the school, families must still apply for a Reception place through the Tower Hamlets process, and there is no automatic transfer.

• Structured expectations. The school’s strong routines around behaviour, attendance, and learning will suit many children, but some families may prefer a looser approach. A visit and a careful read of policies can help you judge fit.

• Wraparound can add up. While there are no tuition fees, regular use of paid wraparound, plus trips and clubs, can create meaningful annual costs for some households.

Stebon Primary School is best understood as a high-expectation community primary with an ambitious curriculum and unusually developed wraparound support. Results place it well above the England average, and the school’s character education is structured rather than aspirational.

It suits families who want strong academic foundations alongside explicit teaching of citizenship, leadership, and responsibility. The limiting factor is admission competitiveness, especially for families who are not already well-positioned under local criteria.