Best Primary Schools in Essex 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 444 schools across Essex. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Essex has 444 open primary schools. Of the 440 with a published Ofsted inspection, 38 (9%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 95% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, South Weald currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Essex follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

444
Total schools
38
Outstanding (historic grade)
9%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
63.9%
Avg KS2 SATs
42.2
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score
🥇 St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, South Weald
Primary
 Outstanding 97 View school
🥈 St Peter's Catholic Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 96 View school
🥉 Quilters Infant School
Primary
 Outstanding 95 View school
4. The Wickford Church of England School
Primary
 Outstanding 95 View school
5. Lakelands Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 95 View school
6. St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, Colchester
Primary
 Outstanding 94 View school
7. Shenfield St. Mary's Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 94 View school
8. Perryfields Junior School
Primary
 Outstanding 93 View school
9. Kingston Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 93 View school
10. Hereward Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 93 View school
11. Chancellor Park Primary School, Chelmsford
Primary
 Outstanding 91 View school
12. Quilters Junior School
Primary
 Outstanding 90 View school
13. Hare Street Community Primary School and Nursery
Primary
 Outstanding 90 View school
14. Lee Chapel Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 90 View school
15. Stambridge Primary School
Primary
 Good 90 View school
16. R A Butler Junior School
Primary
 Outstanding 89 View school
17. Lift Hockley
Primary
 Outstanding 88 View school
18. St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Burnham-on-Crouch
Primary
 Good 87 View school
19. Buttsbury Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 87 View school
20. St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden
Primary
 Good 87 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for Essex

Best primary schools in EssexTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in EssexTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in EssexPrimary & secondary combined Secondary schools in EssexYear 7 onwards How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in Southend-on-SeaCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in HaveringCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in ThurrockCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in Barking and DagenhamCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Essex

Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

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Frequently asked questions

How many primary schools are there in Essex?
There are 444 open primary schools in Essex (closed schools are excluded). 38 of the 440 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated primary schools in Essex?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked primary school in Essex is St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, South Weald. The full ranked table above lists the top 20 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Essex?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Essex?
Primary and secondary applications in Essex are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Essex council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.