School Chooser

Churchgate Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Harlow

Primary · ages 5-11MixedChurch of England192 pupilsHarlowEssex
School Chooser Score
18
Below
similar schools
Likely range 8 to 37
Out of 100. Better than 4% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, May 2024
Reached the expected level at 1135%England 63%
Attendance94.1%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families15%Far fewer than most schools
Places18 spare192 pupils, 210 places
Pupils per teacher19.6School workforce census

Churchgate Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Harlow is a Church of England school (voluntary aided) in Harlow for boys and girls aged 5 to 11. It has 192 pupils and room for 210. About 15 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 18 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 4% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2024.

Hobbs Cross Road, Harlow, CM17 0LB01279 866059churchgate.essex.sch.ukMr Chris Jarvis headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 22 May 2024, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

23 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1135%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level4%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score106.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score100.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 71%71%20172018: 73%73%20182019: 80%80%20192023: 41%41%20232024: 40%40%20242025: 35%35%2025
Since 2017: -36%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017EssexEngland
Pupils tested233029252624
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths35%40%41%80%73%71%64%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths4%0%0%8%4%13%10%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score106.0103.0104.0107.0107.0105.0105.9105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score100.0102.0105.0109.0107.0104.0104.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score104.0104.0106.0110.0108.0106.0105.3105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard83%73%76%92%85%79%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard43%53%76%84%88%79%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)48%57%59%84%85%71%
Reading progressReading progress score-1.5+0.8+0.9+1.8
Maths progressMaths progress score+0.0+2.1+1.9+0.8
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged27%86%57%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged42%68%76%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 1 of the 3 gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
27%42%
Gap 15 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
40%31%
Gap 9 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
9%4%
Gap 5 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

A few spare places186 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
89% full

About 24 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have fallen by 10% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

How places were given out for September 2026. The last place was given under this rule: Criterion 7.

EntryPlacesApplied at allHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary3074LA

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll192Census January 2026
Places21091% full
Pupils from low-income families15%15% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English5%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support17%33 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan5%9 pupils with a plan
Average class size27.47 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils14%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)21%£65,100 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls100 / 92
White British pupils73%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 27.3 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 27.5 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (17), language and communications needs (9), Specific learning difficulty (7), Autistic spectrum disorder (6), Hearing impairment (1), Severe learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll192194192195202201
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals15%24%25%22%19%18%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language5%5%5%2%3%3%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support17%18%16%15%26%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans4%3%4%3%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.1% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance94.1%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school17.0%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils1.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.3%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence5.9%7.1%7.6%8.6%4.7%4.8%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.7%5.5%5.7%7.1%4.2%3.7%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.3%1.6%1.8%1.5%0.5%1.2%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence17.0%24.9%25.6%31.4%11.1%9.4%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate1.03.13.12.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers9.8full-time equivalent, 15 people
Pupils per teacher19.6Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants11.3full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£52,021
Teachers who left in the year14%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher3.32024/25

Money

From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£6,721England £7,738. Total £1.3m
Income per pupil£6,303England £7,697. Total £1.2m
Spent on teachers per pupil£2,986England £3,480
Money in reserve19%A healthy amount put by: £228k, £1,173 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£81kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£6,721spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m4012 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate59 per 1,000 people35% lower than the England average
Typical house price£330,000Harlow
Nearest bus stop20 mChurchgate School, 8 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Harlowbury Primary SchoolAcademy890 m184Report card 202626Compare
Newhall Primary AcademyFree school0.7 miles497Good 202325Compare
Fawbert and Barnard's Primary SchoolAcademy0.8 miles208Good 202265Compare
Church Langley Community Primary SchoolCouncil1.2 miles406Good 202467Compare
Henry Moore Primary SchoolAcademy1.3 miles555Not inspected88Compare
Tany's Dell Primary School and NurseryAcademy1.4 miles437Good 202285Compare
Cooks Spinney Primary Academy and NurseryAcademy1.5 miles443No overall grade 20247Compare
Potter Street AcademyAcademy1.8 miles202Not inspected82Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Churchgate Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Harlow with the 48 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats4%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the bottom of its group. Its score of 18 is 36 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 9 · middle 53 · highest 97100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 18 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 18% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 8 to 37. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%below
-0.13
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 23 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 2.3 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.10
DfE progress measure; 23 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.04
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.04
2024/25; 171 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well below
-0.17
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 23 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Churchgate Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Harlow a good school?

The figures are weak. Churchgate Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Harlow scores 18 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 4% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 8 to 37, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Churchgate Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Harlow's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Churchgate Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Harlow good at its last full inspection on 22 May 2024.

How good are Churchgate Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Harlow's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 35% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 4% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Churchgate Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Harlow have?

192 pupils aged 5 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 91% full.

Is Churchgate Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Harlow oversubscribed?

Probably not. 24 places were empty in 2024/25 (11% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Churchgate Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Harlow?

Pupils were in school 94.1% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 17% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Churchgate Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Harlow?

The average class had 27.4 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 14% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Hobbs Cross Road, Harlow, CM17 0LB
Telephone
01279 866059
Website
www.churchgate.essex.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mr Chris Jarvis
Type of school
Church of England school (voluntary aided) (Voluntary aided school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 5-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Chelmsford
Local authority
Essex
Ward
Old Harlow
Constituency
Harlow
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
115170 · LAESTAB 8813501 · UKPRN 10070983

Where these figures come from