John Stainer Community Primary School admissions: how far away places were offered

Reception offers at John Stainer Community Primary School, year by year

• “No cut-off” means every applicant was offered a place at the school or at a school they ranked higher, so places never ran out on distance.

Things to know before you apply for September 2027

• Less predictable The distance cut-off has moved a lot from year to year (between 733 m and 3,888 m, or 0.46 and 2.42 miles), and the share of places going to siblings has swung (31 of 60 places in 2023, 15 of 60 in 2026). Treat past cut-offs here with extra caution.

Ofsted inspection

At its graded inspection on 6 February 2024, Ofsted’s overall judgement of John Stainer Community Primary School was Outstanding.

• This inspection was under Ofsted’s previous framework. Since 10 November 2025 Ofsted publishes report cards instead, and says the new grades can’t be compared with the old ones. How Ofsted grades schools
• From Ofsted’s data as at 30 September 2026. An inspection after that date may not be shown yet: the full report on Ofsted’s website is always the latest.

Read the full report on Ofsted’s website Source: Management information - state-funded schools - latest inspections as at 30 Sep 2026 (Ofsted, published 16 October 2026). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Admission criteria at John Stainer Community Primary School

If more children apply than there are places, the 2026 rules offer places in this order.

1. Looked-after children and children who were previously looked after (adopted, or under a child arrangements or special guardianship order), including children adopted from state care outside England.
2. Children with an exceptional medical or social need for this school, supported by a letter from a hospital consultant, social worker or similar professional and decided with a panel of teaching and medical professionals. Children of full-time service personnel are also given priority under this criterion.
3. Children with a brother or sister on the school's roll on the closing date who will still be there when the child starts (not a Year 6 child moving to secondary school). Siblings must live at the same address.
4. Children of staff employed at the school for two or more years when the application is made, or recruited to a post with a demonstrable skill shortage.
5. Other children, nearest first: a straight line from a point in the home to a central point in the school premises, measured by Lewisham Council's mapping software. In a block of flats the lowest door number comes first; otherwise equal cases are settled by drawing lots.

Read the official admission rulesAdmission arrangements 2027/28 for the London Borough of Lewisham's community schools (determined): criteria, "Fifth criterion: distance" and Appendix A admission numbers. The school’s own published arrangements always take priority over our summary.