School Chooser

Thorpedene Primary School & Nursery

Primary · ages 2-11MixedAcademy421 pupilsNurserySouthend-on-Sea
School Chooser Score
3
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 2 to 5
Out of 100. Better than 2% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, January 2025
Reached the expected level at 1137%England 63%
Attendance91.9%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families56%Far more than most schools
Places209 spare421 pupils, 630 places
Pupils per teacher20.5School workforce census

Thorpedene Primary School & Nursery is a converter academy in Southend-on-Sea for boys and girls aged 2 to 11. It has 421 pupils and room for 630. About 56 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 3 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 2% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.

Delaware Road, Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea, SS3 9NP01702 582225thorpedene.secat.co.ukMrs Stephanie Frost headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 7 January 2025, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

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

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1137%
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 score101.0
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: 62%62%20172018: 67%67%20182019: 71%71%20192023: 51%51%20232024: 42%42%20242025: 37%37%2025
Since 2017: -25%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017Southend-on-SeaEngland
Pupils tested826587907271
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths37%42%51%71%67%62%63%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths4%2%6%13%13%7%11%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score101.0102.0102.0105.0104.0102.0105.5105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score100.0102.0102.0106.0105.0102.0104.6104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score100.0102.0101.0107.0107.0103.0105.1105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard59%55%62%78%75%65%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard50%62%68%84%81%72%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)56%65%66%82%81%75%
Reading progressReading progress score-3.7+2.4+0.5-2.7
Maths progressMaths progress score-2.6+2.7+2.4-2.2
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged21%16%30%58%59%53%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged51%65%72%84%79%77%

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 4 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
21%51%
Gap 30 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
43%31%
Gap 12 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
53%37%
Gap 16 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%4%
Gap 4 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.

Plenty of spare places438 pupils for 644 places, 2024/25
68% full

206 places were empty (32% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 13% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place.

EntryApplied at allGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary4530all offeredLA
2025 Primary44LA

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 roll421Census January 2026
Places63067% full
Pupils from low-income families51%56% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English9%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support23%97 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan10%43 pupils with a plan
Average class size24.416 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)57%£322,400 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls212 / 209
White British pupils71%

Specialist SEND provision. Resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) with 7 pupils, for autism.

To get a place in the unit or resourced provision, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school. Other schools in Southend-on-Sea with autism provision.

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 22.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 26.1 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (60), emotional and mental health (29), Specific learning difficulty (22), Autistic spectrum disorder (20), Vision impairment (3), Physical disability (2).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll421500533536496505
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals51%47%50%51%52%50%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language9%10%8%8%8%8%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support23%17%15%18%25%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%1%2%1%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 91.9% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance91.9%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school28.1%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils9.82024/25, 1 permanent exclusion
Missed without permission2.2%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence8.1%7.6%7.6%8.6%9.2%5.4%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence6.0%5.5%5.5%5.9%6.8%3.5%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.2%2.1%2.2%2.8%2.4%1.9%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence28.1%26.7%23.8%31.7%31.5%16.5%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate9.88.33.42.22.2
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions10000

Staff and money

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

Teachers19.2full-time equivalent, 20 people
Pupils per teacher20.5Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers90%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants15.6full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£49,283
Teachers who left in the year17%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher11.02024/25

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£6,996England £7,128. Total £3.3m
Income per pupil£7,677England £7,587. Total £3.6m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,217England £3,405
Money in reserve8%Not much put by: £270k, £573 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£321kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,996spent 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 m32412 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate82 per 1,000 people11% lower than the England average
Typical house price£340,000Southend-on-Sea
Nearest bus stop140 mThorpedene Library, 17 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
Richmond Avenue Primary and Nursery SchoolAcademy610 m393Good 202247Compare
Bournes Green Infant SchoolAcademy720 m193Good 202366Compare
Bournes Green Junior SchoolAcademy730 m264Good 202386Compare
St George's Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy0.7 miles209Good 202376Compare
Hinguar Community Primary SchoolAcademy0.7 miles261Not inspected81Compare
Friars Primary School and NurseryAcademy1.1 miles429Not inspected22Compare
Greenways Primary SchoolAcademy1.2 miles856No overall grade 202522Compare
Hamstel Infant School and NurseryAcademy1.7 miles434Not inspectedCompare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Thorpedene Primary School & Nursery with the 47 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 47 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 3 is 37 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 2 · middle 40 · highest 97100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 3 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 3% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 2 to 5. 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%well below
-0.27
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 82 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%well below
-0.36
Ofsted grade, 1.7 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.20
DfE progress measure; 82 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.06
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.21
2024/25; 462 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.08
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 82 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 Thorpedene Primary School & Nursery a good school?

The figures are weak. Thorpedene Primary School & Nursery scores 3 out of 100. That is well 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 2 to 5, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Thorpedene Primary School & Nursery's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Thorpedene Primary School & Nursery not judged at its last full inspection on 7 January 2025.

How good are Thorpedene Primary School & Nursery's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 37% 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 Thorpedene Primary School & Nursery have?

421 pupils aged 2 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 630 places, so it is 67% full.

Is Thorpedene Primary School & Nursery oversubscribed?

Probably not. 206 places were empty in 2024/25 (32% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Thorpedene Primary School & Nursery?

Pupils were in school 91.9% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 28% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Thorpedene Primary School & Nursery?

The average class had 24.4 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

Does Thorpedene Primary School & Nursery have specialist SEND provision?

Yes. It has resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) for autism. To get a place there, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school.

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

Contact and details

Address
Delaware Road, Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea, SS3 9NP
Telephone
01702 582225
Website
www.thorpedene.secat.co.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Stephanie Frost
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 2-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
None
Multi-academy trust
Southend East Community Academy Trust (6 schools)
Local authority
Southend-on-Sea
Ward
West Shoebury
Constituency
Southend East and Rochford
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2016 (academy converter)
URN
143336 · LAESTAB 8825225 · UKPRN 10057721
Formerly
Thorpedene Primary School

Where these figures come from