School Chooser

Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Primary · ages 5-11MixedChurch of England99 pupilsChelmsfordEssex
School Chooser Score
62
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 30 to 85, so it could be “above”
Out of 100. Better than 51% of the 50 schools most like it. Getting better year on year.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, January 2023
Reached the expected level at 1157%England 63%
Attendance96.2%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families9%Far fewer than most schools
Places14 spare99 pupils, 113 places
Pupils per teacher18.3School workforce census

Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is a Church of England school (voluntary aided) in Chelmsford for boys and girls aged 5 to 11. It has 99 pupils and room for 113. About 9 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 62 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 51% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

New Road, Terling, Chelmsford, CM3 2PN01245 233206terling.essex.sch.ukMrs Fiona Sapiano headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 11 January 2023, 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

14 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.

Reached the expected level at 1157%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level14%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score104.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score106.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 56%56%20172018: 71%71%20182019: 50%50%20192023: 38%38%20232024: 71%71%20242025: 57%57%2025
Since 2017: +1%Improving overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017EssexEngland
Pupils tested14171610149
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths57%71%38%50%71%56%64%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths14%12%6%10%0%22%10%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score104.0106.0105.0105.0104.0102.0105.9105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score106.0107.0102.0104.0102.0104.0104.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score105.0103.0103.0105.0105.0103.0105.3105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard71%76%75%70%71%56%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard57%82%50%60%79%78%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)64%71%69%60%79%67%
Reading progressReading progress score+0.5-1.5-2.9-4.2
Maths progressMaths progress score-3.1-3.5-4.1-1.9
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged50%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged82%

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. 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

Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
67%50%
Gap 17 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 places103 pupils for 113 places, 2024/25
91% full

About 10 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. 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 Primary1576LA

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 roll99Census January 2026
Places11388% full
Pupils from low-income families9%9% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English1%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support17%17 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan0%0 pupils with a plan
Average class size24.84 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils25%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)9%£13,950 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls45 / 54
White British pupils83%

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

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll9910610410510397
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals9%9%13%16%16%8%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language1%1%1%0%0%0%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support9%12%16%14%11%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%2%2%1%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.2% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance96.2%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school6.4%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils1.92024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission0.9%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence3.8%3.7%4.5%4.4%2.3%3.1%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence2.9%2.6%3.1%3.3%1.8%2.4%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.9%1.1%1.4%1.0%0.5%0.7%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence6.4%7.5%11.3%4.6%3.6%3.9%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate1.96.72.91.90.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers5.4full-time equivalent, 8 people
Pupils per teacher18.3Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants3.8full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£48,243
Teachers who left in the year50%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher2.12024/25

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£7,180England £7,738. Total £761k
Income per pupil£7,152England £7,697. Total £758k
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,544England £3,480
Money in reserve22%A lot put by: £167k, £1,576 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£3,029it spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£7,180spent 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 m2812 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate55 per 1,000 people40% lower than the England average
Typical house price£345,000Braintree
Nearest bus stop80 mSchool, 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
White Notley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolChurch of England2.1 miles108Good 202274Compare
Witham Oaks AcademyAcademy2.4 miles290Good 202345Compare
Acorn Infant AcademyAcademy2.4 miles196No overall grade 202436Compare
Hatfield Peverel St Andrew's Junior SchoolFoundation2.8 miles236No overall grade 202583Compare
Hatfield Peverel Infant and Nursery SchoolCouncil2.8 miles215Good 202222Compare
Chipping Hill Primary SchoolCouncil2.9 miles421No overall grade 202481Compare
Templars AcademyAcademy2.9 miles412Good 202411Compare
Great Leighs Primary SchoolCouncil3.0 miles197Good 202339Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School with the 45 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 45 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats51%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 62 is about the same as the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 17 · middle 60 · highest 99100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 62 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 62% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 30 to 85. 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
+0.02
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 14 pupils
Ofsted inspection18% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 3.7 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.08
DfE progress measure; 14 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well above
+0.12
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.09
2024/25; 94 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
-0.01
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 14 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 Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School a good school?

It is about average. Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School scores 62 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 51% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 30 to 85, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.

What is Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School good at its last full inspection on 11 January 2023.

How good are Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 57% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 14% 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 Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School have?

99 pupils aged 5 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 113 places, so it is 88% full.

Is Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 10 places were empty in 2024/25 (9% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?

Pupils were in school 96.2% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 6% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?

The average class had 24.8 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 25% 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
New Road, Terling, Chelmsford, CM3 2PN
Telephone
01245 233206
Website
www.terling.essex.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Fiona Sapiano
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
Hatfield Peverel & Terling
Constituency
Witham
Setting
Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
115166 · LAESTAB 8813470 · UKPRN 10070984

Where these figures come from