SchoolScoresThomas Arnold Primary School, Rowdowns Road
Community school · Primary, ages 3 to 11 · Mixed · Nursery class
Thomas Arnold Primary School, Rowdowns Road, Rowdowns Road, Dagenham, RM9 6NH
020 8270 4588 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 15 July 2014.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Outcomes for pupils | Good |
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 14 March 2024: Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
What parents say
21 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025.
Dagenham comparisons use the 18 of its 28 state primary schools with comparable results. The other 10 have no published Parent View results (Ofsted only publishes a survey once at least 10 parents answer) or used Ofsted's newer questions, which we don't compare with the older ones.
| Statement | This school | Dagenham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school Joint 14th highest of 18 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Dagenham. Higher than 14% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 86% | 92% | 88% |
| My child feels safe at this school Joint 12th highest of 18 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Dagenham. Higher than 22% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 90% | 92% | 90% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 7th highest of 18 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Dagenham. Higher than 44% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 90% | 86% | 84% |
| Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 16 parents who had raised a concern 13th highest of 15 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Dagenham. Higher than 17% of 8,398 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 69% | 79% | 76% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent 10th highest of 18 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Dagenham. Higher than 32% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 86%said yes | 86% | 84% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families. Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. Dagenham figures pool parents at the Dagenham schools compared, from each school's latest survey, so survey dates differ between schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.
Results
Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25
51 pupils in this year group.
73% — 6 points above the Barking and Dagenham average, and 11 points above the England average.
| Measure | This school | Barking and Dagenham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 73% | 67% | 62% |
| Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths | 8% | 8% | 8% |
| Met the expected standard in reading | 86% | 79% | 75% |
| Met the expected standard in writing | 73% | 75% | 72% |
| Met the expected standard in maths | 84% | 79% | 74% |
| Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 109 | 106 | 106 |
| Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 109 | 106 | 105 |
Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Barking and Dagenham. The national closing date for primary applications is 15 January, and offers are sent on 16 April.
How hard is it to get in?
For the September 2026 intake there were about one first-choice application for every place.
| Places offered | 44 |
|---|---|
| Families who put it first | 44 |
| Of those, offered a place | 44 (100%) |
| Families who listed it at all | 106 |
First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.1 · 2025: 1.0 · 2026: 1.0
This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.
Pupils, staff and SEND
Specialist SEND provision: this school has resourced provision and a SEN unit with 30 places for autism. These places are usually allocated through the council's SEND team.
| Pupils | This school | Barking and Dagenham | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 7th highest of 28 state primary schools in Dagenham. Higher than 70% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 32.5% | 26.9%* | 26.3% |
| With an education, health and care plan 2nd highest of 28 state primary schools in Dagenham. Higher than 96% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 9.1% | 3.7%* | 3.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 10th highest of 28 state primary schools in Dagenham. Higher than 63% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 16.2% | 15.1%* | 15.0% |
| English as an additional language 4th highest of 28 state primary schools in Dagenham. Higher than 96% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 68.5% | 56.9%* | 23.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 15th lowest of 28 state primary schools in Dagenham. Lower than 34% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 5.6% | 5.4%* | 5.2% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 21st lowest of 28 state primary schools in Dagenham. Lower than 17% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 19.0% | 16.1%* | 13.0% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils 20th lowest of 28 state primary schools in Dagenham. Lower than 49% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 1.1 | 0.7 | 2.5 |
| Pupils suspended at least once 16th lowest of 28 state primary schools in Dagenham. Lower than 60% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 0.4% | 0.5% | 1.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.02% | 0.03% |
| Pupils per teacher 25th highest of 28 state primary schools in Dagenham. Higher than 21% of 16,642 state primary schools in England. | 17.8 | 19.9 | 20.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 18th highest of 28 state primary schools in Dagenham. Higher than 40% of 16,653 state primary schools in England. | 10.2 | 10.7 | 10.6 |
| Teachers who left during the year 25th highest of 28 state primary schools in Dagenham. Higher than 31% of 15,063 state primary schools in England. | 7.7% | 12.3%* | 14.4%* |
Comparisons are with primary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).
Nearby primary schools
- Godwin Primary School 0.3 miles · Ofsted: Good (2016), confirmed 2025 · 71% met expected standard (KS2)
- Village Infants' School 0.3 miles · Ofsted: Good (2016), confirmed 2025
- William Ford CofE Junior School 0.3 miles · Ofsted: Good (2024) · 67% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Peter's Catholic Primary School 0.4 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023) · 79% met expected standard (KS2)
- Parsloes Primary School 0.5 miles · Ofsted: Good (2017), confirmed 2023 · 70% met expected standard (KS2)
- Marsh Green Primary School 0.5 miles · Ofsted: Good (2014), confirmed 2023 · 58% met expected standard (KS2)
- The James Cambell Primary School 0.7 miles · Ofsted: Good (2024) · 66% met expected standard (KS2)
- Richard Alibon Primary School with ARP for Cognitive and Learning Difficulties : SEN Base 0.8 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023) · 72% met expected standard (KS2)
- Hunters Hall Primary School 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2014), confirmed 2023 · 72% met expected standard (KS2)
- The Leys Primary School 1.0 miles · Ofsted: Good (2013), confirmed 2023 · 70% met expected standard (KS2)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Thomas Arnold Primary School, Rowdowns Road's Ofsted rating?
Thomas Arnold Primary School, Rowdowns Road was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 15 July 2014. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 14 March 2024, Ofsted found the school was still Good.
How did Thomas Arnold Primary School, Rowdowns Road do in its SATs?
In 2024/25, 73% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 11 points above the England average of 62%.
Would parents recommend Thomas Arnold Primary School, Rowdowns Road?
86% of the 21 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025 said they would recommend Thomas Arnold Primary School, Rowdowns Road to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Is Thomas Arnold Primary School, Rowdowns Road oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 44 families put Thomas Arnold Primary School, Rowdowns Road as their first choice for 44 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 44 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 101220.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 1 January 2024 to 6 January 2025.
- Results: DfE school performance tables, Key stage 2 2024/25.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.