Types of primary schools in Southwark

There are five types of mainstream primary schools in Southwark. The schools all follow the national curriculum and are regularly inspected by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted). For children starting school in Southwark, there are 69 primary schools to choose from.

Community schools

There are 28 community schools in Southwark. We're responsible for the arrangements for admitting children.

Voluntary aided schools

There are 10 Church of England and 10 Catholic primary schools in Southwark. The schools' governing bodies are responsible for school admissions and decide how pupils are admitted.

Academies

There are 14 primary academies (including one all through academy for children aged 3 to 18) in Southwark. The Academy Trust is responsible for school admissions and decides how pupils are admitted.

Foundation schools

There are two primary foundation schools in Southwark. The schools' governing bodies are responsible for school admissions and decide how pupils are admitted.

Free schools

There are five primary free schools in Southwark. The schools' governing bodies are responsible for school admissions and decide how pupils are admitted.

Find more information in our Starting primary school in Southwark 2025/26 brochure ^{(PDF, 2.5mb)}.

If you'd like to find the nearest primary school to your home, use the school finder facility. This facility only gives approximate distances to schools based on postcodes alone and cannot be relied on for school admission purposes.

Page last updated: 29 August 2024