The school is of broadly average size for its type. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in a Nursery and two parallel Reception classes. Children who have originally attended other local pre-school groups and nurseries also join Plaistow Hill Reception classes when they are four years of age. Pupils in Year 1 are taught in two parallel classes and those in Year 2 are taught in two classes. Almost all the pupils are of White British heritage and very few are from minority ethnic groups. The number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is smaller than that found in schools nationally. There is a small number of children from service families. Both of these groups of pupils are entitled to additional funding called the pupil premium. The proportion of pupils who have disabilities and special educational needs supported at the school action level is smaller than average, but there is a larger than usual proportion of these pupils in one year group. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus level and those with statements of special educational needs is also below that found nationally. A monitoring report on the school by HMI in 2011 judged the school to be making good progress in raising attainment.