School Chooser

St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Halstead

Primary · ages 4-11MixedAcademyChurch of England211 pupilsHalsteadEssex
School Chooser Score
49
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 26 to 71
Out of 100. Better than 52% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodConfirmed by Ofsted, September 2022
Reached the expected level at 1182%England 63%
Attendance95.5%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families18%Far fewer than most schools
Places14 spare211 pupils, 225 places
Pupils per teacher26.2School workforce census

St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Halstead is a converter academy in Halstead for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 211 pupils and room for 225. About 18 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 49 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 52% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2022.

Mathews Close, Halstead, CO9 2BH01787 475699st-andrews-halstead.co.ukMrs Bridgette Gough headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

A shorter visit on 15 September 2022 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

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

Reached the expected level at 1182%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level3%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score107.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score104.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 68%68%20172018: 76%76%20182019: 63%63%20192023: 64%64%20232024: 50%50%20242025: 82%82%2025
Since 2017: +14%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure20252024202320192018†2017†EssexEngland
Pupils tested333433353434
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths82%50%64%63%76%68%64%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths3%0%12%6%3%9%10%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score107.0102.0104.0103.0107.0105.0105.9105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0102.0102.0103.0105.0105.0104.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score105.0101.0105.0103.0104.0106.0105.3105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard91%62%76%63%82%74%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard85%68%64%74%91%85%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)88%68%79%89%91%88%
Reading progressReading progress score-2.2-1.5+2.4+1.2
Maths progressMaths progress score-3.0-1.4+1.3+1.3
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged17%33%83%29%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged57%69%75%78%

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 St Andrew's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Halstead, the school this one replaced in April 2018. 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. Every gap at this school 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 11Boys vs girls
81%82%
Gap 1 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.

Nearly full215 pupils for 225 places, 2024/25
96% 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 10.

EntryPlacesApplied at allHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary3066LA

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 roll211Census January 2026
Places22594% full
Pupils from low-income families18%18% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English4%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support12%25 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%6 pupils with a plan
Average class size30.26 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils50%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)15%£49,600 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls109 / 102
White British pupils90%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 29.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 30.8 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (12), language and communications needs (10), Moderate learning difficulty (4), Autistic spectrum disorder (2), Specific learning difficulty (2), Physical disability (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll211214221218218215
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals18%16%13%13%13%13%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language4%4%3%3%3%2%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support14%14%11%12%10%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%3%3%4%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.5%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school7.3%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils3.32024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.2%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.5%4.6%4.2%5.5%3.1%3.3%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.3%3.4%3.2%4.5%1.9%2.4%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.2%1.2%1.1%1.0%1.2%0.9%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence7.3%7.8%4.2%13.6%4.8%5.2%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate3.36.80.00.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers8.1full-time equivalent, 10 people
Pupils per teacher26.2Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants10.4full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£53,574
Teachers who left in the year27%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher0.52024/25

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£5,318England £7,128. Total £1.1m
Income per pupil£6,234England £7,587. Total £1.3m
Spent on teachers per pupil£2,369England £3,405
Money in reserve24%A lot put by: £316k, £1,474 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£196kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£5,318spent 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 m8912 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate33 per 1,000 people64% lower than the England average
Typical house price£345,000Braintree
Nearest bus stop150 mChurchill Avenue, 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
Richard de Clare Community AcademyAcademy960 m370Report card 20268Compare
Holy Trinity Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, HalsteadChurch of England0.9 miles210Good 202345Compare
Colne Engaine Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy2.1 miles88Good 202313Compare
St Giles' Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England2.3 miles91Good 202316Compare
Gosfield Community Primary SchoolAcademy2.5 miles134Good 202321Compare
St John the Baptist Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School PebmarshChurch of England2.6 miles97Good 202358Compare
Earls Colne Primary School and NurseryFoundation2.9 miles402Good 202328Compare
St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Sible HedinghamChurch of England3.2 miles213No overall grade 202432Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Halstead 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.

Beats52%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 49 is about the same as the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 48 · highest 91100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 49 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 49% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 26 to 71. 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
-0.01
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 33 pupils
Ofsted inspection18% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 4.0 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.14
DfE progress measure; 33 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%above
+0.08
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.07
2024/25; 192 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
-0.03
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 33 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 St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Halstead a good school?

It is about average. St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Halstead scores 49 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 52% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 26 to 71, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Halstead's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Halstead good at its last full inspection on 15 September 2022.

How good are St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Halstead's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 82% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 3% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Halstead have?

211 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 225 places, so it is 94% full.

Is St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Halstead oversubscribed?

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

What is attendance like at St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Halstead?

Pupils were in school 95.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 7% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Halstead?

The average class had 30.2 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 50% 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
Mathews Close, Halstead, CO9 2BH
Telephone
01787 475699
Website
www.st-andrews-halstead.co.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Bridgette Gough
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Chelmsford
Multi-academy trust
All Saints Academy Trust (2 schools)
Local authority
Essex
Ward
Halstead St Andrew's
Constituency
Braintree
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 April 2018 (academy converter)
URN
145523 · LAESTAB 8813303 · UKPRN 10067207
Formerly
St Andrew's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Halstead

Where these figures come from