Schools by area › Tower Hamlets › Columbia Primary School
Columbia Primary School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–11 · Academy
Columbia Road, Bethnal Green, London E2 7RG · columbiaprimaryschool.org · 020 7739 3835
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Jul 2023
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 81%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Tower Hamlets 69%, England 62%
- Last distance offered
- 1.27 mi
- 2.04 km · walking distance · Reception, September 2025 entry · Tie-break · Tower Hamlets Council
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 416
- 92% of 450 places
- Local authority
- Tower Hamlets
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 24.5%
- First language not English
- 44%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- The Letta Trust
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2025, the last place offered under “Tie-break” went to a home 1.27 mi (2.04 km), walking distance from the school. Source: Tower Hamlets Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 43 families put the school first and 48 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 48 | 43 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 60 | 54 | 0.9 | 98% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 51 | 49 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 60 | 56 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 60 | 64 | 1.1▲ | 89% |
Last distance offered
| Reception – Tie-break | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2025 | 1.27 mi2.04 km | |
How far from the school the last child offered a place lives.
These are walking distances. Your search point is measured in a straight line, so it is further on foot.
Results
In 2024/25, 81% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 19% the higher standard. Across Tower Hamlets it was 69%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲81% | 62% | ||
| ▲19% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▲111 | 106 | ||
| ▲109 | 105 | ||
| ●107 | 105 | ||
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 100897)
Ofsted
Columbia Primary School was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 3 July 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 3 Jul 2023
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 100897)
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding |
| Personal development | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
Previously: Improving, ungraded inspection, Feb 2019
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 100897), which Ofsted links to this one.
Before September 2019
Feb 2019Ungraded inspectionImproving
Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 100897)
Dec 2014Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 100897)
Nov 2009Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 100897)