Voluntary controlled school · Essex

St Margaret's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Toppesfield

4–11Ages
63Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
115071URN

Church Lane, Toppesfield, Halstead, CO9 4DS · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Nov 2022 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.3per place

1.1 below Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

13 applications for 10 places

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

57%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 · 8 November 2022Ofsted'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

Inspection history

8 November 2022
Graded inspection: Good
22 October 2019
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Concerns)

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

1.3applications per place, Reception

1.1 below Essex median (2.4) 0.9 below England median (2.2)

13 applications · 10 places offered · 6 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 1.3; Essex median median 2.4
2025 2.0; Essex median median 2.4
2024 3.6; Essex median median 2.4
2023 1.7; Essex median median 2.4
2022 2.2; Essex median median 2.4
2021 1.9; Essex median median 2.3
2020 2.2; Essex median median 2.4
2019 1.3; Essex median median 2.5
2018 2.2; Essex median median 2.5
2017 2.9; Essex median median 2.6
2016 2.3; Essex median median 2.8
2015 2.4; Essex median median 2.7
2014 3.6; 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	10	13	1.3	6	0.60
Sep 2025	7	14	2.0	7	1.00
Sep 2024	5	18	3.6	4	0.80
Sep 2023	10	17	1.7	9	0.90
Sep 2022	5	11	2.2	5	1.00
Sep 2021	14	26	1.9	14	1.00
Sep 2020	9	20	2.2	7	0.78
Sep 2019	15	19	1.3	15	1.00
Sep 2018	10	22	2.2	10	1.00
Sep 2017	10	29	2.9	10	1.00
Sep 2016	9	21	2.3	9	1.00
Sep 2015	7	17	2.4	7	1.00
Sep 2014	14	51	3.6	15	1.07

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 86% · Writing 71% · Maths 57% → all three 57% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard57%261st of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard86%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard29%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard71%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth14%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard57%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard0%

Essex 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 99 (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	57%	0%	104	99
2023/24	13%	0%	97	96
2022/23	54%	0%	105	99

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

St Margaret's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School ToppesfieldThis school
This school

Good2022

1.3applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Great Yeldham
2.2 km · Essex

Good2023

2.2applications per place 87%met the SATs standard
Ridgewell Church of England Primary School
3.4 km · Essex

2026

1.5applications per place 77%met the SATs standard
de Vere Primary School
4.4 km · Essex

Good2023

1.9applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Sible Hedingham
5.1 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.2applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
Wethersfield CofE VC Primary School
6.9 km · Essex

Good2024

4.0applications per place 88%met the SATs standard
Steeple Bumpstead Primary School
7.0 km · Essex

Good2022

1.8applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
Finchingfield St John the Baptist CofE Primary Academy
7.1 km · Essex

Standards maintained2024

1.8applications per place
Belchamp St Paul Church of England Primary School
7.2 km · Essex

Good2024

2.0applications per place

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: Voluntary controlled school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 115071 · 881/3015
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 98 pupils · 63 on roll
Free school meals: 7.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Church Lane, Toppesfield, Halstead, CO9 4DS
Local authority: Essex · Braintree

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