School Chooser

White Bridge Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedAcademy434 pupilsNurseryLoughtonEssex
School Chooser Score
42
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 25 to 62
Out of 100. Better than 38% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, May 2024
Reached the expected level at 1164%England 63%
Attendance96.2%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families16%Far fewer than most schools
Places16 spare434 pupils, 450 places
Pupils per teacher23.9School workforce census

White Bridge Primary School is a converter academy in Loughton for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 434 pupils and room for 450. About 16 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 42 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 38% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2024.

Greensted Road, Loughton, IG10 3DR020 8508 8624whitebridge.essex.sch.ukMr James Kenyon headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 8 May 2024, 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
Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
13 July 2022UngradedSchool remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1164%
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 score104.0
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: 66%66%20172018: 69%69%20182019: 67%67%20192023: 51%51%20232024: 61%61%20242025: 64%64%2025
Since 2017: -2%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure20252024202320192018†2017†EssexEngland
Pupils tested586457525270
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths64%61%51%67%69%66%64%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths3%6%9%10%15%10%10%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score104.0104.0105.0104.0105.0104.0105.9105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0103.0105.0106.0105.0105.0104.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score105.0103.0106.0107.0109.0107.0105.3105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard79%78%84%71%81%73%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard72%69%86%81%77%83%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)81%72%58%85%83%84%
Reading progressReading progress score+0.3-1.1+0.2-0.5
Maths progressMaths progress score+0.8+0.6+0.7+0.2
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged25%33%8%33%60%58%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged74%69%62%81%73%69%

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 White Bridge Primary School, 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. 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
25%74%
Gap 49 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
73%54%
Gap 19 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
86%64%
Gap 22 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%3%
Gap 3 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 places400 pupils for 630 places, 2024/25
64% full

230 places were empty (37% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 7% 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 5.

EntryPlacesApplied at allHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary60142LA

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 roll434Census January 2026
Places45096% full
Pupils from low-income families16%16% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English18%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support8%34 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%12 pupils with a plan
Average class size28.915 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils7%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)16%£97,650 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls212 / 222
White British pupils62%

Specialist SEND provision. Resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) and SEN unit with 2 pupils and a SEN unit with 2 pupils, for social, emotional and mental health.

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 Essex with social, emotional and mental health provision.

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 29.7 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 28.3 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (18), emotional and mental health (11), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (6), Autistic spectrum disorder (4), Specific learning difficulty (3), Hearing impairment (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll434429410416416406
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals16%16%17%19%15%14%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language18%16%12%12%9%7%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support7%8%10%11%12%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans4%4%3%2%2%

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 school8.0%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.92024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission0.8%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence3.8%4.5%5.3%6.2%2.9%3.8%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.1%3.7%3.4%4.4%1.9%2.6%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.8%0.8%2.0%1.8%1.0%1.2%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence8.0%10.0%14.6%14.2%6.6%7.5%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.90.70.70.00.7
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers18.0full-time equivalent, 23 people
Pupils per teacher23.9Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants10.4full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£50,279
Teachers who left in the year5%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher2.02024/25

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£6,243England £7,128. Total £2.6m
Income per pupil£6,771England £7,587. Total £2.9m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,040England £3,405
Money in reserve14%A healthy amount put by: £397k, £937 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£224kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,243spent 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 m23512 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate70 per 1,000 people23% lower than the England average
Typical house price£515,000Epping Forest
Nearest bus stop180 mGreensted Rd, 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
The Alderton Infant School and NurseryAcademy0.7 miles207Good 202313Compare
The Alderton Junior SchoolAcademy0.7 miles225Good 202340Compare
Buckhurst Hill Community Primary SchoolAcademy0.8 miles389Not inspected54Compare
St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Buckhurst HillAcademy1.1 miles412Good 202266Compare
Staples Road Primary SchoolAcademy1.1 miles626Good 202268Compare
Chigwell Primary AcademyAcademy1.3 miles200Good 202363Compare
Thomas Willingale Primary School and NurseryFoundation1.5 miles486Good 202370Compare
St John Fisher Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy1.7 miles268Report card 20256Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares White Bridge 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.

Beats38%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 42 is 7 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 4 · middle 49 · highest 97100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 45 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than White Bridge 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
Chingford CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England2.5 miles406No overall grade 202454Compare
Epping Primary SchoolCouncil5.1 miles418Good 202251Compare
St Andrew's CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England6.0 miles389No overall grade 202483Compare
Flamstead End SchoolAcademy7.5 miles474No overall grade 202563Compare
Fairlawn Primary SchoolCouncil13.9 miles362Good 202477Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 42 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 42% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 25 to 62. 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
-0.04
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 58 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 2.3 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.07
DfE progress measure; 58 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
+0.01
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.08
2024/25; 350 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.08
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 58 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 White Bridge Primary School a good school?

It is about average. White Bridge Primary School scores 42 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 38% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 25 to 62, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is White Bridge Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated White Bridge Primary School good at its last full inspection on 8 May 2024.

How good are White Bridge Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 64% 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 White Bridge Primary School have?

434 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 450 places, so it is 96% full.

Is White Bridge Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 230 places were empty in 2024/25 (37% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at White Bridge Primary School?

Pupils were in school 96.2% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 8% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at White Bridge Primary School?

The average class had 28.9 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 7% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does White Bridge Primary School have specialist SEND provision?

Yes. It has resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) and sen unit for social, emotional and mental health. 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
Greensted Road, Loughton, IG10 3DR
Telephone
020 8508 8624
Website
www.whitebridge.essex.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mr James Kenyon
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
Epping Forest Schools Partnership Trust (16 schools)
Local authority
Essex
Ward
Buckhurst Hill East & Whitebridge
Constituency
Epping Forest
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 April 2018 (academy converter)
URN
145603 · LAESTAB 8812503 · UKPRN 10067215
Formerly
White Bridge Primary School

Where these figures come from