School Chooser

Whitmore Primary School and Nursery

Primary · ages 3-11MixedAcademy633 pupilsNursery Free breakfast clubBasildonEssex
School Chooser Score
15
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 9 to 24, so it could be “below”
Out of 100. Better than 18% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, September 2019
Reached the expected level at 1157%England 63%
Attendance93.3%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families37%Far more than most schools
Places49 spare633 pupils, 682 places
Pupils per teacher23.5School workforce census

Whitmore Primary School and Nursery is a sponsored academy in Basildon for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 633 pupils and room for 682. About 37 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 15 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 18% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2019.

Whitmore Way, Basildon, SS14 2TP01268 520435whitmore-pri.essex.sch.ukMr Robert Wade headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 24 September 2019, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall. A later, shorter visit on 2 April 2025 said: “Standards maintained”.

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

This inspection is more than 7 years old. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of one grade.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
2 April 2025UngradedStandards maintained

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1157%
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 score103.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score103.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 24%24%20172018: 64%64%20182019: 65%65%20192023: 52%52%20232024: 56%56%20242025: 57%57%2025
Since 2017: +33%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017†EssexEngland
Pupils tested898990775859
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths57%56%52%65%64%24%64%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths4%4%6%6%3%2%10%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score103.0102.0101.0102.0103.098.0105.9105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score103.0102.0102.0103.0102.096.0104.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score102.0101.0102.0103.0104.099.0105.3105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard70%64%58%66%69%46%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard71%70%69%79%76%31%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)79%74%72%81%72%44%
Reading progressReading progress score-3.8-0.4-0.6-3.6
Maths progressMaths progress score-2.6-0.7-0.2-6.9
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged57%53%40%60%59%18%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged58%60%62%71%68%37%

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 Whitmore Primary School and Nursery, the school this one replaced in October 2016. 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. 2 of the 4 gaps are 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
57%58%
Gap 1 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
52%62%
Gap 10 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
64%57%
Gap 7 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
5%4%
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.

Nearly full623 pupils for 630 places, 2024/25
99% 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 5.

EntryPlacesApplied at allHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary90134LA

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 roll633Census January 2026
Places68293% full
Pupils from low-income families37%37% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English21%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support15%94 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%19 pupils with a plan
Average class size29.220 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils5%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)38%£354,950 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls311 / 322
White British pupils68%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 28.3 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 29.5 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (40), Autistic spectrum disorder (37), emotional and mental health (23), Moderate learning difficulty (3), Hearing impairment (2), Physical disability (2).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll633650645653656655
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals37%38%38%39%40%36%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language21%20%17%14%14%11%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support16%12%12%10%11%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%2%2%1%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.3% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance93.3%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school22.1%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils2.32024/25, 1 permanent exclusion
Missed without permission2.6%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence6.7%7.6%9.5%11.5%5.0%6.0%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.1%3.9%4.8%6.5%3.3%3.6%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.6%3.7%4.7%5.1%1.7%2.4%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence22.1%25.0%28.7%40.9%17.5%20.6%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate2.31.41.20.91.4
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions11100

Staff and money

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

Teachers26.9full-time equivalent, 29 people
Pupils per teacher23.5Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers97%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants30.4full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£49,470
Teachers who left in the year17%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher2.42024/25

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£6,720England £7,128. Total £4.4m
Income per pupil£6,648England £7,587. Total £4.3m
Spent on teachers per pupil£2,945England £3,405
Money in reserve5%Not much put by: £232k, £356 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out-£47kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£6,720spent 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 m24312 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate123 per 1,000 people35% higher than the England average
Typical house price£360,000Basildon
Nearest bus stop90 mMatching Green, 10 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 Willows Primary SchoolAcademy870 m651Not inspected48Compare
Fairhouse Community Primary SchoolAcademy0.8 miles396Good 202343Compare
Greensted Primary School & NurseryAcademy0.9 miles520No overall grade 202474Compare
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, BasildonAcademy1.0 miles233Report card 202671Compare
Felmore Primary SchoolAcademy1.1 miles386Good 202334Compare
Briscoe Primary School & NurseryAcademy1.1 miles335Good 202468Compare
Cherry Tree Primary SchoolAcademy1.2 miles384No overall grade 20252Compare
Ghyllgrove Primary SchoolCouncil1.2 miles630No overall grade 202421Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Whitmore Primary School and Nursery with the 50 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 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats18%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 15 is 29 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 2 · middle 43 · highest 100100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 50 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Whitmore Primary School and Nursery, 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
Northlands Primary School and NurseryAcademy1.3 miles744Good 202446Compare
Ryedene Primary and Nursery SchoolAcademy1.6 miles461Not inspected58Compare
The Gateway Primary Free SchoolFree school9.0 miles459No overall grade 202575Compare
Tilbury Pioneer AcademyAcademy9.3 miles456Good 202241Compare
Bournemouth Park AcademyAcademy10.6 miles534No overall grade 202534Compare
Temple Sutton Primary SchoolAcademy10.8 miles619Good 202330Compare
Hamstel Junior SchoolAcademy11.2 miles583Good 202430Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 15 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 15% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 9 to 24. 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%below
-0.16
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 89 pupils
Ofsted inspection10% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 7.0 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.23
DfE progress measure; 89 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%above
+0.06
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.13
2024/25; 566 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.08
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 89 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 Whitmore Primary School and Nursery a good school?

The figures are weak. Whitmore Primary School and Nursery scores 15 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 18% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 9 to 24, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Whitmore Primary School and Nursery's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Whitmore Primary School and Nursery good at its last full inspection on 24 September 2019. That was more than four years ago. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of a single grade.

How good are Whitmore Primary School and Nursery'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%. 4% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Whitmore Primary School and Nursery have?

633 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 682 places, so it is 93% full.

Is Whitmore Primary School and Nursery oversubscribed?

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

What is attendance like at Whitmore Primary School and Nursery?

Pupils were in school 93.3% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 22% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Whitmore Primary School and Nursery?

The average class had 29.2 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 5% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Whitmore Primary School and Nursery have a breakfast club?

Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.

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

Contact and details

Address
Whitmore Way, Basildon, SS14 2TP
Telephone
01268 520435
Website
www.whitmore-pri.essex.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mr Robert Wade
Free breakfast club
Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
Berlesduna Academy Trust (11 schools)
Local authority
Essex
Ward
Fryerns
Constituency
Basildon and Billericay
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 October 2016 (new provision)
URN
143126 · LAESTAB 8812146 · UKPRN 10057561
Formerly
Whitmore Primary School and Nursery

Where these figures come from