Valence Primary School
General Information
- Address: Bonham Road, Dagenham, RM8 3AR – View on map
- Phone: 02030069888
- Website: Visit school website
- Headteacher: Mr Richard November
- Age range: 3-11 years
- Demand for places (Reception, September 2026): 49 families put it first for 52 places – 9 for every 10 places. Every one of them was offered a place. 2 of the 52 places went to families living outside the council area. Children putting it first, for every 10 places: 2023 9 · 2024 10 · 2025 10 · 2026 9
- Sixth form: No
- Intake: Mixed
- Religious character: Does not apply
- Nursery provision: Yes
Who goes here
- Pupils eligible for free school meals: 191
- % eligible for free school meals: 24.7%
- Pupil mix: 9 in 10 (similar to the Barking and Dagenham average)
- English as an additional language: 67% (England 22%)
Staff
Teachers leaving each year
- Teacher turnover: 9.3% a year (Barking and Dagenham 13.8%, typical in England 13.9%) Low turnover
- Where they went: about 38% moved to another school, 62% left state schools altogether (retirement, other careers, independent schools, abroad)
- Data years: 2022/23 to 2024/25 (average of 3 years, DfE school workforce census)
Teachers who moved school or left state schools in the year after each November, as a share of all the school's teachers. Some turnover is healthy – retirements, promotions, moving house. "Low turnover" means it's among the quarter of similar schools in England where teachers are most likely to stay.
Behaviour
Awaiting Data
Across Barking and Dagenham: suspensions by reason
- Suspensions for sexual misconduct: 1 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
- Permanent exclusions for sexual misconduct: 0
- Suspensions for bullying: 1 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
- Suspensions for abuse against sexual orientation or gender identity: 1 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.0)
- Data year: 2024/25 (DfE suspensions and exclusions statistics)
These are figures for all state primary schools in Barking and Dagenham, not this school's own – the government doesn't publish them school by school. A suspension can have up to three reasons. Most sexual harassment between pupils never leads to a suspension, so these figures show only part of the picture.
Attendance
- Overall absence: 5.1%
- Persistently absent pupils: 12.6%
- Data year: 2024/25
SEN
- SEN unit for AutismSpeech, language and communicationModerate learning difficultiesSevere learning difficultiesProfound and multiple learning difficultiesSpecific learning difficulties (e.g. dyslexia)Physical disability 34 places · 35 pupils at the last count
- Resourced provision for AutismSpeech, language and communicationModerate learning difficultiesSevere learning difficultiesProfound and multiple learning difficultiesSpecific learning difficulties (e.g. dyslexia)Physical disability 28 places · 28 pupils at the last count
Places are usually for children with an EHC Plan and are arranged through the council, not the normal school application.
- Pupils on SEN Support: 15.1%
- Pupils with an EHC Plan: 5.3%
- Data year: 2025/26
Most common needs - SEN Support
- Speech, language and communications needs: 59 pupils
- Autistic spectrum disorder: 37 pupils
- Social, emotional and mental health: 22 pupils
- Moderate learning difficulty: 8 pupils
- Severe learning difficulty: 2 pupils
Most common needs - EHC Plan
- Autistic spectrum disorder: 38 pupils
- Speech, language and communications needs: 6 pupils
- Severe learning difficulty: 1 pupil
These figures show the makeup of the school.
Educational Attainment
Good 2024 report
Year 6 SATs results
- Met the expected standard in reading, writing & maths: 60% (England 62%)
- Reached the higher standard: 5% (England 8%)
- Compared with the area: 7 percentage points below the Barking and Dagenham average (67%)
- Compared with schools with similar pupils: Below (3-year average 56% against an expected 64%)
- 3-year average (expected standard): 56%
- Expected standard by subject: Reading 66% · Writing 70% · Maths 74% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 72%
- Average test scores: reading 104, maths 104
- Based on: 129 Year 6 pupils, 2024/25
View the School Context Comparator – how this school's SATs results compare with schools teaching similar pupils.
SATs results over time
Year 6 SATs: 34th of 43 junior and primary schools in the area
- =32Five Elms Primary School61%
- =32William Bellamy Primary School61%
- #34Valence Primary School60%
- =35Gascoigne Primary School59%
- =35Roding Primary School59%
Click to see the full ranking
View full Ofsted inspection report
28th of 30 primary schools in Barking and Dagenham for Ofsted rating
- #26The Leys Primary SchoolGood
- #27Thomas Arnold Primary School, Rowdowns RoadGood
- #28Valence Primary SchoolGood
- #29William Bellamy Primary SchoolGood
- #30Rose Lane Primary SchoolRequires improvement
Click to see the full ranking
Financials
Spending per pupil: £9,186 (2024-25)
6th of 35 primary schools in Barking and Dagenham for spending per pupil
- #4Monteagle Primary School£9,349
- #5St Joseph's Catholic Primary School£9,251
- #6Valence Primary School£9,186
- #7Five Elms Primary School£9,152
- #8George Carey Church of England Primary School£8,879
Click to see the full ranking
View on the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool (GOV.UK)