Community school · Essex

Cold Norton Primary School

4–11Ages
157Pupils
PrimaryPhase
114904URN

St Stephens Road, Cold Norton, Chelmsford, CM3 6JE · School website

This school is due to be replaced by Cold Norton Primary School.

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

3.0per place

0.7 above Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

70 applications for 23 places · 76th of 363 in Essex

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

70%met the expected standard

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 19 March 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

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

3.0applications per place, Reception

0.7 above Essex median (2.4) 0.9 above England median (2.2)

70 applications · 23 places offered · 24 named it first

2026 3.0; Essex median median 2.4
2025 2.9; Essex median median 2.4
2024 4.2; Essex median median 2.4
2023 3.4; Essex median median 2.4
2022 3.8; Essex median median 2.4
2021 3.8; Essex median median 2.3
2020 3.7; Essex median median 2.4
2019 3.6; Essex median median 2.5
2018 3.2; Essex median median 2.5
2017 3.8; Essex median median 2.6
2016 3.4; Essex median median 2.8
2015 3.2; Essex median median 2.7
2014 3.3; Essex median median 2.8

More applications per place than the Essex median in 13 of 13 years.

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	23	70	3.0	24	1.04
Sep 2025	23	67	2.9	19	0.83
Sep 2024	21	88	4.2	23	1.10
Sep 2023	21	71	3.4	15	0.71
Sep 2022	21	79	3.8	24	1.14
Sep 2021	20	76	3.8	24	1.20
Sep 2020	21	77	3.7	23	1.10
Sep 2019	21	76	3.6	24	1.14
Sep 2018	21	68	3.2	22	1.05
Sep 2017	21	79	3.8	26	1.24
Sep 2016	21	71	3.4	24	1.14
Sep 2015	21	67	3.2	23	1.10
Sep 2014	21	70	3.3	28	1.33

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 78% · Writing 83% · Maths 87% → all three 70% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard70%143rd of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard78%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard35%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard83%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth22%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard87%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard35%

Essex 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 107 (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	70%	22%	106	107
2023/24	78%	11%	106	105
2022/23	87%	9%	111	108

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

Cold Norton Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2024

3.0applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
Purleigh Community Primary School
2.2 km · Essex

Good2024

3.2applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
Christchurch Church of England Primary School
3.9 km · Essex

2026

1.2applications per place 33%met the SATs standard
Trinity St Mary's CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School, South Woodham Ferrers
4.5 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

4.4applications per place 31%met the SATs standard
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, SWF
4.6 km · Essex

Good2024

2.7applications per place 77%met the SATs standard
Woodville Primary School
4.6 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.0applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Collingwood Primary School
4.7 km · Essex

2026

2.6applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
Elmwood Primary School
4.9 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

2.1applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
St Mary's Church of England Primary School
5.0 km · Essex

Good2024

1.9applications per place 69%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: 114904 · 881/2590
Capacity: 147 pupils · 157 on roll
Free school meals: 7.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: St Stephens Road, Cold Norton, Chelmsford, CM3 6JE
Local authority: Essex · Maldon

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