Schools by area › Essex › Downham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Downham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 5–11 · Academy
Church Road, Ramsden Heath, Billericay CM11 1NU · downhamschool.org · 01268 710387
On the mapSearch near CM11 1NU
Overview
- Ofsted
- Remains Good
- Ungraded inspection · Sept 2021
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 65%
- 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
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 173
- 82% of 210 places
- Local authority
- Essex
- Free school meals
- 6.9%
- First language not English
- 0.6%
- 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, 24 families put the school first and 25 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 | 25 | 24 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 15 | 15 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 24 | 22 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 22 | 19 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 30 | 26 | 0.9 | 96% |
Results
In 2024/25, 65% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 23% 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 | |||
| ▲65% | 62% | ||
| ▲23% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●107 | 106 | ||
| ●105 | 105 | ||
| ●106 | 105 | ||
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 115119)
Ofsted
At an ungraded inspection on 29 September 2021, Ofsted’s outcome for Downham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School was: School remains Good.
- Outcome
- Remains Good
- Inspected
- 28 Sept 2021
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 115119)
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Jun 2016
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 115119), which Ofsted links to this one.
Before September 2019
Jun 2016Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years Good Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 115119)
Jan 2014Requires 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 115119)