Schools by area › Essex › Highwoods Community Primary School
Highwoods Community Primary School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 4–11 · Academy
Tynedale Square, Highwoods, Colchester CO4 9SN · highwoodsprimary.com · 01206 845887
Overview
- Ofsted
- Improving
- Ungraded inspection · Jun 2024
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 78%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Essex 63%, England 62%
- Last distance offered
- 0.62 mi
- 1.00 km · Reception, September 2025 entry · Essex Council
- Demand for places
- 1.2
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 453
- 3 over 450 places · 101%
- Local authority
- Essex
- Nursery class
- No
- Free school meals
- 17.2%
- First language not English
- 21.9%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2025, the last place offered on distance went to a home 0.62 mi (1.00 km) from the school. Source: Essex Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 70 families put the school first and 60 places were offered; 84% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 60 | 70 | 1.2▲ | 84% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 60 | 72 | 1.2▲ | 79% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 60 | 64 | 1.1▲ | 91% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 60 | 75 | 1.3▲ | 79% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 60 | 67 | 1.1▲ | 85% |
Last distance offered
| Reception | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2025 | 0.62 mi1.00 km | |
Results
In 2024/25, 78% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 24% the higher standard. Across Essex it was 63%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲78% | 62% | ||
| ▲24% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●108 | 106 | ||
| ●107 | 105 | ||
| ▲108 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
At an ungraded inspection on 14 June 2024, Ofsted’s outcome for Highwoods Community Primary School was: School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next.
- Outcome
- Improving
- Inspected
- 13 Jun 2024
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Remains Good, ungraded inspection, Mar 2019
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Mar 2019Ungraded inspectionRemains Good
Safeguarding Effective Mar 2015Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Dec 2009Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good
What parents said
97% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (154 replies, to 7 April 2025).
- Recommend
- 97%
- Replies
- 154
- 36% · 7 Apr 2025
based on the 71% who raised concerns
based on the 25% who had a child bullied
based on 34 parents (22%) with SEND