South Thamesmead

Summary

South Thamesmead (E02000066) is part of Bexley local authority (view on map). South Thamesmead has an approximate population of 9,400 people, of which 22% are children 15 years old and under. It is classified as "urban: nearer to a major town or city".

South Thamesmead neighbours Crossway Park, Belvedere & Lessness Heath, Lesnes Abbey, Thamesmead Birchmere Park, and Abbey Wood North.

Headlines

  • 7% of pupils have an EHC plan, placing it in the top 10% of all areas in England – see more.
Guidance and data sources

Local area pages are based on the middle-layer super output areas (MSOAs) distributed across the country. MSOAs comprise between 2,000 and 6,000 households and have a resident population of, generally, between 5,000 and 15,000 people. MSOAs fit within local authorities. For each area, descriptive statistics are compared with local authority and national averages. For more information about MSOAs, please visit the Office for National Statistics website.

The data displayed is sourced from:

Deprivation

South Thamesmead is the 26th least deprived area in Bexley (out of 28) with 45% of children living in low-income families, compared to 29% across Bexley and 38% nationally.

Data source

State-funded pupil characteristics

Information acquired from the school census.

Free school meals

In South Thamesmead, 37% of state-funded pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared to 22% in Bexley and 27% nationally.

Contents

Percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals

Table showing the percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals

% in South Thamesmead % in Bexley % in England
Eligible for free school meals 37% 22% 27%
Not eligible for free school meals 63% 78% 73%

Data source

Special educational needs

In South Thamesmead, 23% of pupils in state-funded settings have special educational needs (SEN), compared to 17% in Bexley, and 19% nationally.

This includes the number of pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan and the number of pupils with SEN support.

7% of pupils have an EHC plan, placing it in the top 10% of all areas in England.

Contents

Percentage of pupils with special educational needs in schools

Table showing the percentage of pupils with special educational needs in schools

% in South Thamesmead % in Bexley % in England
No special educational needs 77% 83% 81%
Receiving special educational needs support 16% 12% 14%
With an education, health, and care plan (EHCP) 7% 5% 5%

Data source

Ethnicity

In South Thamesmead, 65% of pupils are from a minority ethnic background, compared to 48% in Bexley, and 33% nationally.

Percentages may not sum to 100%, due to small values being suppressed.

Contents

Percentage of pupils by major ethnic groups

Table

% in South Thamesmead % in Bexley % in England
White 33% 53% 67%
Asian 8% 15% 14%
Black 43% 18% 7%
Mixed 11% 11% 7%
Other 3% 2% 3%
Not known 3% 2% 2%

Data source

English as an additional language

The percentage of pupils in South Thamesmead with English as an additional language is 35%, compared with 23% in Bexley, and 22% nationally.

Numbers may not sum to 100%, due to a small number of pupils with an unclassified language.

Contents

Percentage of pupils with English as an additional language

Table

% in South Thamesmead % in Bexley % in England
Known or believed to be other than English 35% 23% 22%
Known or believed to be English 64% 77% 78%

Data source

Provider information

Jump to:

Registered childcare providers

South Thamesmead has 25 registered childcare providers.

Type Number in South Thamesmead
All childcare providers 25
Childminders 22
Pre-school/day nursery/out-of-school care 3

In South Thamesmead, there have been 2 full inspections of childcare providers since the introduction of the renewed education inspection framework in November 2025.

Under the renewed education inspection framework, childcare providers are evaluated on the following areas:

  • Achievement
  • Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines
  • Children's welfare and wellbeing
  • Curriculum and teaching
  • Inclusion
  • Leadership and governance

We use a 5-point scale to grade different areas of a provider’s work. The evaluation scale for each evaluation area, other than safeguarding, is:

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Achievement: There have been no inspections of Achievement in South Thamesmead so no outcomes are available for this area.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: There have been no inspections of Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines in South Thamesmead so no outcomes are available for this area.

Children's welfare and well-being: There have been no inspections of Children's welfare and well-being in South Thamesmead so no outcomes are available for this area.

Curriculum and teaching: There have been no inspections of Curriculum and teaching in South Thamesmead so no outcomes are available for this area.

Inclusion: There have been no inspections of Inclusion in South Thamesmead so no outcomes are available for this area.

Leadership and governance: 2 were graded 'expected standard' (of 2).

The tables below show the outcomes of inspections of childcare providers in South Thamesmead. The tables are split by provider type, and show the number of inspections that have taken place for each area, and the outcomes of those inspections.

Contents

All childcare

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 0 0 0 0 0 0
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines 0 0 0 0 0 0
Children's welfare and well-being 0 0 0 0 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inclusion 0 0 0 0 0 0
Leadership and governance 2 0 0 2 0 0

Childminders

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 0 0 0 0 0 0
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines 0 0 0 0 0 0
Children's welfare and well-being 0 0 0 0 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inclusion 0 0 0 0 0 0
Leadership and governance 2 0 0 2 0 0

Full day care

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement

Sessional day care

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement

Out-of-school day care

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement

Other childcare

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement

Data source

State-funded schools

South Thamesmead has 5 state-funded schools.

Type Number in South Thamesmead
All state-funded schools 5
Nursery schools 0
Primary and all-through schools 4
Secondary and all-through schools 0
Special schools 0
Registered alternative provision 1

In South Thamesmead, there has been 1 full inspection of schools since the introduction of the renewed education inspection framework in November 2025.

Under the renewed education inspection framework, schools are evaluated on the following areas:

  • Achievement
  • Attendance and behaviour
  • Curriculum and teaching
  • Early years (where applicable)
  • Inclusion
  • Leadership and governance
  • Personal development and wellbeing
  • Post 16 provision (where applicable)

The evaluation scale for each evaluation area, other than safeguarding, is:

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Achievement: 1 was graded 'expected standard' (of 1).

Attendance and behaviour: 1 was graded 'expected standard' (of 1).

Curriculum and teaching: 1 was graded 'expected standard' (of 1).

Early years: 1 was graded 'expected standard' (of 1).

Inclusion: 1 was graded 'expected standard' (of 1).

Leadership and governance: 1 was graded 'expected standard' (of 1).

Personal development and wellbeing: 1 was graded 'expected standard' (of 1).

Post-16 provision: There have been no inspections of Post-16 provision in South Thamesmead so no outcomes are available for this area.

The tables below show the outcomes of inspections of state-funded schools in South Thamesmead. The tables are split by provider type, and show the number of inspections that have taken place for each area, and the outcomes of those inspections.

Contents

All schools

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 1 0 0 1 0 0
Attendance and behaviour 1 0 0 1 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 1 0 0 1 0 0
Early years 1 0 0 1 0 0
Inclusion 1 0 0 1 0 0
Leadership and governance 1 0 0 1 0 0
Personal development and wellbeing 1 0 0 1 0 0
Post-16 provision 0 0 0 0 0 0

Nursery schools

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 0 0 0 0 0 0
Attendance and behaviour 0 0 0 0 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 0 0 0 0 0 0
Early years 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inclusion 0 0 0 0 0 0
Leadership and governance 0 0 0 0 0 0
Personal development and wellbeing 0 0 0 0 0 0
Post-16 provision 0 0 0 0 0 0

Primary schools

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 1 0 0 1 0 0
Attendance and behaviour 1 0 0 1 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 1 0 0 1 0 0
Early years 1 0 0 1 0 0
Inclusion 1 0 0 1 0 0
Leadership and governance 1 0 0 1 0 0
Personal development and wellbeing 1 0 0 1 0 0
Post-16 provision 0 0 0 0 0 0

Secondary schools

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 0 0 0 0 0 0
Attendance and behaviour 0 0 0 0 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 0 0 0 0 0 0
Early years 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inclusion 0 0 0 0 0 0
Leadership and governance 0 0 0 0 0 0
Personal development and wellbeing 0 0 0 0 0 0
Post-16 provision 0 0 0 0 0 0

Special schools

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 0 0 0 0 0 0
Attendance and behaviour 0 0 0 0 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 0 0 0 0 0 0
Early years 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inclusion 0 0 0 0 0 0
Leadership and governance 0 0 0 0 0 0
Personal development and wellbeing 0 0 0 0 0 0
Post-16 provision 0 0 0 0 0 0

Registered alternative provision

Number of inspections Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement
Achievement 0 0 0 0 0 0
Attendance and behaviour 0 0 0 0 0 0
Curriculum and teaching 0 0 0 0 0 0
Early years 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inclusion 0 0 0 0 0 0
Leadership and governance 0 0 0 0 0 0
Personal development and wellbeing 0 0 0 0 0 0
Post-16 provision 0 0 0 0 0 0

Data sources: