Ridgewell Church of England Primary School
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Ridgewell Church of England Primary School is a sponsored academy in Halstead for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 55 pupils and room for 105. About 33 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit more than at most schools. We give it 23 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 54% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in February 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.
Church Lane, Ridgewell, Halstead, CO9 4SA01440 785364ridgewell.essex.sch.ukMrs Kirsty Stuart headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted visited on 24 February 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.
Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.
Earlier inspections (1)
| Date | Type | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 11 January 2022 | Academy First Section 5 | Good |
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
13 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017† | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 13 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 7 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 77% | 25% | 54% | 60% | 53% | 86% | 64% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 15% | 8% | 15% | 7% | 7% | 0% | 10% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 107.0 | 103.0 | 107.0 | 109.0 | 106.0 | 108.0 | 105.9 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 108.0 | 102.0 | 107.0 | 105.0 | 102.0 | 107.0 | 104.8 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 107.0 | 100.0 | 103.0 | 104.0 | 101.0 | 107.0 | 105.3 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 85% | 50% | 85% | 93% | 80% | 100% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 85% | 50% | 92% | 80% | 60% | 86% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 77% | 33% | 54% | 67% | 67% | 86% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | +5.0 | +2.9 | +6.5 | +0.5 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | +5.4 | -1.4 | +2.2 | -0.9 | – | – |
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 Ridgewell Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, the school this one replaced in August 2017. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
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. None of the 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
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.
48 places were empty (46% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 12% 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 6.
| Entry | Places | How far the last child lived | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Primary | 15 | – | LA |
What parents say
From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 10 parents answered in the year to 6 April 2026. Parents choose whether to fill it in, and many only do so when an inspection is coming, so don't read too much into small differences. The England figures are the average for primary schools with enough answers to publish.
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.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 13.5 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 14.0 (England 27.3).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (7), emotional and mental health (5), Autistic spectrum disorder (2), Moderate learning difficulty (2), Specific learning difficulty (2), Severe learning difficulty (1).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 55 | 57 | 61 | 61 | 65 | 64 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 33% | 33% | 38% | 28% | 28% | 22% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 30% | 20% | 16% | 20% | 27% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 4% | 3% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.1% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 5.9% | 8.0% | 7.0% | 8.4% | 4.6% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 4.4% | 4.0% | 3.7% | 4.3% | 3.0% | 2.5% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 1.5% | 4.0% | 3.3% | 4.1% | 1.6% | 1.1% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 16.7% | 18.2% | 20.9% | 21.3% | 10.7% | 6.6% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 0.0 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.6 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
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.
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
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.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Great Yeldham | Academy | 1.8 miles | 139 | Good 2023 | 72 | Compare |
| St Margaret's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Toppesfield | Church of England | 2.1 miles | 63 | Good 2022 | 14 | Compare |
| Clare Community Primary School | Academy | 3.4 miles | 199 | Good 2020 | 29 | Compare |
| Belchamp St Paul Church of England Primary School | Academy | 3.5 miles | 46 | Good 2024 | 72 | Compare |
| Steeple Bumpstead Primary School | Academy | 3.8 miles | 189 | Good 2022 | 50 | Compare |
| de Vere Primary School | Academy | 4.1 miles | 203 | Good 2023 | 49 | Compare |
| Coupals Primary Academy | Academy | 4.3 miles | 290 | Good 2023 | 56 | Compare |
| Kedington Primary Academy | Academy | 4.3 miles | 208 | Good 2024 | 85 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Ridgewell Church of England Primary School with the 46 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 46 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 23 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 23% 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 55. 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 at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 25% | below | -0.10 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 13 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | well below | -0.42 | Ofsted report card, 0.6 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | in line | +0.01 | DfE progress measure; 13 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | above | +0.08 | results and attendance rising year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | below | -0.05 | 2024/25; 54 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | well above | +0.10 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 13 pupils |
| What parents say | 5% | above | +0.02 | Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 10 responses |
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 Ridgewell Church of England Primary School a good school?
The figures are weak. Ridgewell Church of England Primary School scores 23 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 54% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 8 to 55, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is Ridgewell Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 24 February 2026 it rated teaching as needs attention, achievement as needs attention, behaviour and attendance as as expected, leadership as needs attention.
How good are Ridgewell Church of England Primary School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 77% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 15% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.
How many pupils does Ridgewell Church of England Primary School have?
55 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 105 places, so it is 52% full.
Is Ridgewell Church of England Primary School oversubscribed?
Probably not. 48 places were empty in 2024/25 (46% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at Ridgewell Church of England Primary School?
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.
What do parents say about Ridgewell Church of England Primary School?
100% of the 10 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 100% say their child is happy there. Across England, 87% of parents would recommend their child's school.
How big are the classes at Ridgewell Church of England Primary School?
The average class had 13.7 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class 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
- Church Lane, Ridgewell, Halstead, CO9 4SA
- Telephone
- 01440 785364
- Website
- www.ridgewell.essex.sch.uk
- Headteacher
- Mrs Kirsty Stuart
- Type of school
- Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
- Phase
- Primary school, ages 4-11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England, Diocese of Chelmsford
- Multi-academy trust
- The Diocese of Chelmsford Vine Schools Trust (21 schools)
- Local authority
- Essex
- Ward
- Stour Valley North
- Constituency
- Braintree
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 August 2017 (new provision)
- URN
- 144645 · LAESTAB 8812161 · UKPRN 10064689
- Formerly
- Ridgewell Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Admissions outcomes: Essex council's published allocation statistics (source), entry years 2026.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.