Best primary schools in Chiswick
Chiswick is full of excellent state primaries, the vast majority of which easily exceed London and national Key Stage 2 average performances. Such is the local political geography, residents – particularly those in Bedford Park and nearby – may find themselves applying to schools in any, or all, of Ealing, Hounslow or Hammersmith & Fulham. The correct approach is to apply for a place through your own LA’s portal regardless of which borough is home to the schools in which you are interested.
Chiswick’s top primary schools
The most oversubscribed is Belmont Primary School and you’ll need to live well within half a mile to feel confident of a place. It’s a much-loved school with classic Edwardian London primary school architecture. Combining school pick-up with the weekly shop at Sainsbury’s next door is de rigueur. Strand-on-the-Green Infant & Nursery and Grove Park Primary, also popular, require similar levels of proximity for a place. Although Strand Infants finishes in year 2, children get priority into their junior school – Strand-on-the-Green Junior School. For Catholic families, St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Chiswick and the Good Shepherd RC Primary School are well-regarded.
Southfield Primary School, St Peter’s Primary School, Ark Priory and Ark Byron are all beyond the edges of Chiswick into Acton or Hammersmith but attract lots of Chiswick families. West London Free School Primary is wildly popular, not least because it more or less guarantees your child a place at the vaunted senior school, but be warned, recent years’ intakes suggest you need to live further east than Goldhawk Road and St Peter’s Square to be in with a chance.
State primary schools for children with Special Educational Needs
All state primaries support children with special educational needs and have a SENCo on the staff who coordinates any required additional help. Certain schools are home to resourced provision; specialist classes catering for children with particular needs and who have an EHCP. The Swan Centre at Strand-on-the-Green Junior School provides three classes for primary-age children with autism and has its own therapy dog. Cavendish Primary School has Meadow Class – specialist provision for up to eight children with communication and interaction needs. Lionel Primary School, on the other side of Gunnersbury Park, has a specialist unit for 21 children with speech, language and communication difficulties.
All three of the LAs covering Chiswick operate special schools for children with more severe educational needs. If you require more information on what is available, visit your LA’s website and look for details of the SEND local offer. Typically, these schools need to be named in a child’s EHCP for them to be able to attend.