Community school · Essex

Highfields Primary School

4–11Ages
320Pupils
PrimaryPhase
114769URN

Colchester Road, Lawford, Manningtree, CO11 2BN · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded OutstandingJul 2016

School remains OutstandingUngraded inspection · Nov 2022

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.4per place

close to Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

106 applications for 45 places · 173rd of 363 in Essex

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

74%met the expected standard

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded OutstandingJul 2016

School remains OutstandingUngraded inspection · Nov 2022

Inspection history

16 November 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains Outstanding
5 July 2016
Graded inspection: Outstanding

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.4applications per place, Reception

close to Essex median (2.4) close to England median (2.2)

106 applications · 45 places offered · 58 named it first

2026 2.4; Essex median median 2.4
2025 2.8; Essex median median 2.4
2024 2.5; Essex median median 2.4
2023 2.0; Essex median median 2.4
2022 2.2; Essex median median 2.4
2021 2.4; Essex median median 2.3
2020 1.7; Essex median median 2.4
2019 2.0; Essex median median 2.5
2018 2.0; Essex median median 2.5
2017 2.2; Essex median median 2.6
2016 2.0; Essex median median 2.8
2015 1.8; Essex median median 2.7
2014 2.0; Essex median median 2.8

This school
Essex median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	45	106	2.4	58	1.29
Sep 2025	45	124	2.8	59	1.31
Sep 2024	45	113	2.5	52	1.16
Sep 2023	45	90	2.0	49	1.09
Sep 2022	45	100	2.2	53	1.18
Sep 2021	45	108	2.4	59	1.31
Sep 2020	45	76	1.7	44	0.98
Sep 2019	45	92	2.0	51	1.13
Sep 2018	45	92	2.0	51	1.13
Sep 2017	41	88	2.2	41	1.00
Sep 2016	45	90	2.0	46	1.02
Sep 2015	43	78	1.8	40	0.93
Sep 2014	45	91	2.0	39	0.87

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 81% · Writing 85% · Maths 83% → all three 74% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard74%100th of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard81%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard34%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard85%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth15%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard83%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard23%

Essex 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Essex median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	74%	9%	106	106
2023/24	82%	27%	109	110
2022/23	76%	20%	108	109

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Highfields Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Remains Outstanding2022

2.4applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
Lawford Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
0.9 km · Essex

2026

2.2applications per place 76%met the SATs standard
Brooklands Primary School
2.2 km · Suffolk

Good2022

1.5applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
Stourview Church of England Primary Academy
2.4 km · Essex

Requires improvement2021

2.2applications per place
Dedham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
4.1 km · Essex

Good2024

2.3applications per place 83%met the SATs standard
Bradfield Primary School
4.3 km · Essex

Good2022

3.2applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
East Bergholt Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
4.8 km · Suffolk

Good2024

2.3applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Ardleigh St Mary's Church of England Primary Academy
5.5 km · Essex

Requires improvement2022

3.0applications per place 64%met the SATs standard
St George's Church of England Primary School, Great Bromley
5.7 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

2.7applications per place 47%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 114769 · 881/2090
Capacity: 315 pupils · 320 on roll
Free school meals: 6.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Colchester Road, Lawford, Manningtree, CO11 2BN
Local authority: Essex · Tendring

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources