Academy converter · Essex

St Alban's Catholic Academy

3–11Ages
227Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
137056URN

First Avenue, Harlow, CM20 2NP · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodMar 2015

Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · Oct 2024

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.9per place

0.4 below Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

58 applications for 30 places · 263rd of 363 in Essex

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

Graded GoodMar 2015

Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · Oct 2024

Inspection history

23 October 2024
Ungraded inspection: Standards maintained
17 March 2015
Graded inspection: 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

1.9applications per place, Reception

0.4 below Essex median (2.4) 0.3 below England median (2.2)

58 applications · 30 places offered · 26 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 1.9; Essex median median 2.4
2025 2.1; Essex median median 2.4
2024 2.0; Essex median median 2.4
2023 2.1; Essex median median 2.4
2022 2.0; Essex median median 2.4
2021 1.8; Essex median median 2.3
2020 2.3; Essex median median 2.4
2019 2.8; Essex median median 2.5
2018 3.3; Essex median median 2.5
2017 3.9; Essex median median 2.6
2016 3.7; Essex median median 2.8
2015 4.5; Essex median median 2.7
2014 4.3; 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	30	58	1.9	26	0.87
Sep 2025	30	64	2.1	31	1.03
Sep 2024	24	48	2.0	21	0.88
Sep 2023	25	53	2.1	18	0.72
Sep 2022	25	50	2.0	22	0.88
Sep 2021	28	50	1.8	25	0.89
Sep 2020	30	68	2.3	31	1.03
Sep 2019	25	71	2.8	24	0.96
Sep 2018	30	98	3.3	44	1.47
Sep 2017	30	118	3.9	43	1.43
Sep 2016	30	112	3.7	44	1.47
Sep 2015	30	136	4.5	62	2.07
Sep 2014	30	129	4.3	38	1.27

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 73% · Writing 63% · Maths 80% → 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 standard73%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard23%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard63%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth3%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard80%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard27%

Essex 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 105 (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%	3%	104	105
2023/24	50%	3%	102	103
2022/23	64%	4%	104	104

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 Alban's Catholic AcademyThis school
This school

Standards maintained2024

1.9applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
Freshwaters Primary Academy
0.6 km · Essex

Standards maintained2025

2.0applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
Tany's Dell Primary School and Nursery
0.7 km · Essex

Good2022

1.7applications per place 83%met the SATs standard
Cooks Spinney Primary Academy and Nursery
0.8 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.6applications per place 38%met the SATs standard
The Downs Primary School and Nursery
1.0 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.9applications per place 52%met the SATs standard
Pemberley Academy
1.5 km · Essex

Remains Good · improving2024

3.8applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Fawbert and Barnard's Primary School
1.7 km · Essex

Remains Good2022

4.3applications per place 52%met the SATs standard
Church Langley Community Primary School
1.8 km · Essex

Remains Good2024

3.2applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
William Martin Church of England Junior School
1.8 km · Essex

Good2022

60%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 137056 · 881/5234
Trust: Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Multi Academy Trust
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 210 pupils · 227 on roll
Free school meals: 14.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 August 2011
Replaced: St Alban's Catholic Primary School (URN 115274)
Address: First Avenue, Harlow, CM20 2NP
Local authority: Essex · Harlow

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