Community school · Tower Hamlets

Stewart Headlam Primary School

3–11Ages
189Pupils
PrimaryPhase
100923URN

Tapp Street, Stepney, London, E1 5RE · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jul 2023 Previous framework

Outstanding

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.9per place

close to Tower Hamlets median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Tower Hamlets

45 applications for 24 places · 34th of 58 in Tower Hamlets

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

83%met the expected standard

Tower Hamlets 71% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Outstanding · 18 July 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education	Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding
Early years provision	Outstanding

Inspection history

18 July 2023
Graded inspection: Outstanding
23 March 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Improving)

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.9applications per place, Reception

close to Tower Hamlets median (2.0) 0.3 below England median (2.2)

45 applications · 24 places offered · 24 named it first

2026 1.9; Tower Hamlets median median 2.0
2025 2.0; Tower Hamlets median median 2.0
2024 2.1; Tower Hamlets median median 2.2
2023 2.0; Tower Hamlets median median 2.1
2022 1.8; Tower Hamlets median median 2.1
2021 1.3; Tower Hamlets median median 2.0
2020 1.3; Tower Hamlets median median 2.2
2019 1.5; Tower Hamlets median median 2.4
2018 2.0; Tower Hamlets median median 2.5
2017 1.5; Tower Hamlets median median 2.5
2016 1.7; Tower Hamlets median median 2.7
2015 1.7; Tower Hamlets median median 2.8
2014 2.2; Tower Hamlets median median 3.1

More applications per place than the Tower Hamlets median in 0 of 13 years.

This school
Tower Hamlets median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	24	45	1.9	24	1.00
Sep 2025	29	58	2.0	23	0.79
Sep 2024	22	46	2.1	20	0.91
Sep 2023	15	30	2.0	13	0.87
Sep 2022	21	38	1.8	20	0.95
Sep 2021	26	33	1.3	19	0.73
Sep 2020	29	39	1.3	28	0.97
Sep 2019	31	46	1.5	30	0.97
Sep 2018	30	59	2.0	28	0.93
Sep 2017	41	63	1.5	41	1.00
Sep 2016	53	92	1.7	49	0.92
Sep 2015	41	71	1.7	41	1.00
Sep 2014	35	78	2.2	34	0.97

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 93% · Writing 83% · Maths 97% → all three 83% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard83%3rd of 60 in Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets 71% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard93%

Tower Hamlets 83% England 78%

Higher standard47%

Tower Hamlets 39% England 33%

Average scaled score 109 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard83%

Tower Hamlets 79% England 75%

Greater depth23%

Tower Hamlets 16% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard97%

Tower Hamlets 83% England 77%

Higher standard70%

Tower Hamlets 34% England 24%

Average scaled score 111 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Tower Hamlets median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	83%	20%	109	111
2023/24	83%	17%	112	111
2022/23	80%	16%	112	111

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Stewart Headlam Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Outstanding2023

1.9applications per place 83%met the SATs standard
Hague Primary School
0.2 km · Tower Hamlets

Remains Good2022

2.0applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
Thomas Buxton Primary School
0.4 km · Tower Hamlets

Remains Outstanding2023

1.5applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
Osmani Primary School
0.4 km · Tower Hamlets

2026

2.7applications per place 78%met the SATs standard
John Scurr Primary School
0.5 km · Tower Hamlets

Good2023

1.6applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
William Davis Primary School
0.5 km · Tower Hamlets

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.1applications per place 83%met the SATs standard
Bangabandhu Primary School
0.6 km · Tower Hamlets

Good2023

2.3applications per place 77%met the SATs standard
St Anne's and Guardian Angels Catholic Primary School
0.6 km · Tower Hamlets

Remains Good2020

3.0applications per place
Lawdale Junior School
0.6 km · Tower Hamlets

Remains Good2023

70%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 100923 · 211/2569
Capacity: 270 pupils · 189 on roll
Free school meals: 27.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Tapp Street, Stepney, London, E1 5RE
Local authority: Tower Hamlets

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources