Schools by area › Essex › The Downs Primary School and Nursery
The Downs Primary School and Nursery
Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–11 · Academy
The Hides, Harlow CM20 3RB · downsschool.com · 01279 445538
On the mapSearch near CM20 3RB
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected May 2025
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 52%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Essex 63%, England 62%
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Reception, September 2025 entry · Essex Council
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 362
- 86% of 420 places
- Local authority
- Essex
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 26.9%
- First language not English
- 45%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2025, everyone who applied was offered a place. Source: Essex Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 35 families put the school first and 39 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 39 | 35 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 24 | 24 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 47 | 44 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 44 | 34 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 51 | 42 | 0.8 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 52% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 4% 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 | |||
| ▼52% | 62% | ||
| ▼4% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▼103 | 106 | ||
| ▼102 | 105 | ||
| ●103 | 105 | ||
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 115016)
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected The Downs Primary School and Nursery on 20 May 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 20 May 2025
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Jan 2023
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 115016), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
Jan 2023Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Jan 2016Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 115016)
Oct 2013Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 115016)
What parents said
90% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (40 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 90%
- Replies
- 40
- 10% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 75% who raised concerns
based on the 35% who had a child bullied
based on 13 parents (33%) with SEND