School Chooser

Gosfield Community Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedAcademy134 pupilsHalsteadEssex
School Chooser Score
21
Below
similar schools
Likely range 9 to 46, so it could be “well below”
Out of 100. Better than 2% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodConfirmed by Ofsted, March 2023
Reached the expected level at 1135%England 63%
Attendance94.3%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families6%Far fewer than most schools
Places6 spare134 pupils, 140 places
Pupils per teacher20.1School workforce census

Gosfield Community Primary School is a converter academy in Halstead for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 134 pupils and room for 140. About 6 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 21 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 2% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

The Street, Gosfield, Gosfield Community Primary School, Halstead, CO9 1ST01787 472266gosfield-pri.essex.sch.ukMrs Charlotte Bower headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

A shorter visit on 2 March 2023 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

20 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 level5%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score105.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score99.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 68%68%20172018: 67%67%20182019: 67%67%20192023: 48%48%20232024: 43%43%20242025: 35%35%2025
Since 2017: -33%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure2025202420232019†2018†2017†EssexEngland
Pupils tested202321181819
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths35%43%48%67%67%68%64%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths5%9%0%11%0%11%10%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score105.0102.0105.0103.0105.0105.0105.9105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score99.0102.0105.0103.0104.0102.0104.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score103.0101.0103.0106.0105.0103.0105.3105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard75%52%62%67%89%79%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard45%57%67%83%78%68%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)55%52%62%78%89%84%
Reading progressReading progress score-1.9-1.1-1.8-0.7
Maths progressMaths progress score-0.7-1.1-2.6-3.2
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged68%

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.

† These results are for Gosfield Community Primary School, the school this one replaced in January 2019. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Nearly full138 pupils for 140 places, 2024/25
99% full

Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

How places were given out for September 2026. The last place was given under this rule: Criterion 5.

EntryPlacesApplied at allHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary2058LA

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 roll134Census January 2026
Places14096% full
Pupils from low-income families6%6% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English1%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support9%12 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%2 pupils with a plan
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)7%£13,950 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls61 / 73
White British pupils94%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (6), emotional and mental health (4), Autistic spectrum disorder (3), Moderate learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll134142139141140143
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals6%5%5%6%5%5%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language1%1%1%0%0%0%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support12%15%5%4%6%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%1%2%3%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.3% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance94.3%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school10.4%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.72024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.5%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence5.7%6.0%5.7%7.5%3.9%3.7%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.2%4.2%4.3%6.2%3.4%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.5%1.7%1.4%1.3%0.5%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence10.4%15.8%14.6%21.6%4.0%8.1%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.70.01.40.70.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers6.7full-time equivalent, 8 people
Pupils per teacher20.1Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants3.9full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£47,980
Teachers who left in the year15%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher1.52024/25

Money

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

Spend per pupil£5,394England £7,128. Total £766k
Income per pupil£6,359England £7,587. Total £903k
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,035England £3,405
Money in reserve7%Not much put by: £66k, £468 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£137kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£5,394spent 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 m2512 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate37 per 1,000 people59% lower than the England average
Typical house price£345,000Braintree
Nearest bus stop160 mChurch Road, 7 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
Holy Trinity Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, HalsteadChurch of England1.7 miles210Good 202345Compare
Richard de Clare Community AcademyAcademy2.1 miles370Report card 20268Compare
St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Sible HedinghamChurch of England2.5 miles213No overall grade 202432Compare
St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, HalsteadAcademy2.5 miles211Good 202249Compare
Bocking Primary SchoolAcademy2.8 miles203Good 202328Compare
Stisted Church of England Primary AcademyAcademy3.3 miles103Outstanding 202383Compare
St Giles' Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England3.4 miles91Good 202316Compare
de Vere Primary SchoolAcademy3.8 miles203Good 202349Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Gosfield Community Primary School 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.

Beats2%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the bottom of its group. Its score of 21 is 45 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 3 · middle 66 · highest 97100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 48 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Gosfield Community Primary School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
St Andrew's Church of England Primary Academy, Marks TeyAcademy8.5 miles131Good 202291Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 21 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 21% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 9 to 46. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. 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%in line
-0.07
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 20 pupils
Ofsted inspection19% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 3.5 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.07
DfE progress measure; 20 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.10
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
+0.02
2024/25; 125 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well below
-0.19
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 20 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 Gosfield Community Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Gosfield Community Primary School scores 21 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 2% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 9 to 46, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Gosfield Community Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Gosfield Community Primary School good at its last full inspection on 2 March 2023.

How good are Gosfield Community Primary School'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%. 5% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Gosfield Community Primary School have?

134 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 140 places, so it is 96% full.

Is Gosfield Community Primary School oversubscribed?

Often. Fewer than one place in twenty was empty in 2024/25, so popular year groups fill up.

What is attendance like at Gosfield Community Primary School?

Pupils were in school 94.3% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 10% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

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

Contact and details

Address
The Street, Gosfield, Gosfield Community Primary School, Halstead, CO9 1ST
Telephone
01787 472266
Website
www.gosfield-pri.essex.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Charlotte Bower
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
Attain Academy Partnership (7 schools)
Local authority
Essex
Ward
Gosfield & Greenstead Green
Constituency
Braintree
Setting
Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
Opened
1 January 2019 (academy converter)
URN
146725 · LAESTAB 8812036 · UKPRN 10082226
Formerly
Gosfield Community Primary School

Where these figures come from