Academy sponsor led · Essex

Parkwood Academy

3–11Ages
196Pupils
PrimaryPhase
141355URN

Melbourne Avenue, Chelmsford, CM1 2DX

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jul 2024 Previous framework

Requires improvement

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.1per place

0.3 below Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

39 applications for 19 places · 237th of 363 in Essex

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

66%met the expected standard

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Requires improvement · 9 July 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Good	Requires improvement
Quality of education		Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes	Good
Personal development	Good
Leadership and management		Requires improvement
Early years provision		Requires improvement

Inspection history

9 July 2024
Graded inspection: Requires improvement
7 December 2022
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

2.1applications per place, Reception

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

39 applications · 19 places offered · 19 named it first

2026 2.1; Essex median median 2.4
2025 2.9; Essex median median 2.4
2024 1.9; Essex median median 2.4
2023 2.5; Essex median median 2.4
2022 2.0; Essex median median 2.4
2021 2.6; Essex median median 2.3
2020 2.0; Essex median median 2.4
2019 1.7; Essex median median 2.5
2018 1.4; Essex median median 2.5
2017 2.0; Essex median median 2.6
2016 2.2; Essex median median 2.8
2015 1.9; Essex median median 2.7
2014 2.0; Essex median median 2.8; as the previous school

This school
Essex median

Dashed bars: as Melbourne Park Primary and Nursery School (URN 115024), the previous school.

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	19	39	2.1	19	1.00
Sep 2025	14	41	2.9	14	1.00
Sep 2024	29	54	1.9	26	0.90
Sep 2023	19	48	2.5	15	0.79
Sep 2022	30	61	2.0	25	0.83
Sep 2021	30	77	2.6	27	0.90
Sep 2020	23	47	2.0	21	0.91
Sep 2019	30	51	1.7	26	0.87
Sep 2018	30	42	1.4	16	0.53
Sep 2017	20	39	2.0	12	0.60
Sep 2016	23	50	2.2	18	0.78
Sep 2015	30	56	1.9	21	0.70
Sep 2014 *	22	44	2.0	16	0.73

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 72% · Writing 66% · Maths 69% → all three 66% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard66%190th of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard72%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard28%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard66%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth3%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard69%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard17%

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	66%	3%	104	105
2023/24	37%	10%	103	102
2022/23	52%	10%	105	107

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

Parkwood AcademyThis school
This school

Requires improvement2024

2.1applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
St Pius X Catholic Primary School
0.4 km · Essex

Standards maintained2024

2.5applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Kings Road Primary School
0.7 km · Essex

Standards maintained2025

2.5applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
Newlands Spring Primary and Nursery School
0.9 km · Essex

Good2023

2.2applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
Lawford Mead Primary & Nursery
1.0 km · Essex

Standards maintained2025

2.0applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
Maltese Road Primary School
1.1 km · Essex

Remains Good2024

4.6applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
Westlands Community Primary School
1.7 km · Essex

Improved significantly2024

1.5applications per place 77%met the SATs standard
Broomfield Primary School
1.9 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

2.4applications per place 49%met the SATs standard
The Cathedral Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chelmsford
2.1 km · Essex

2026

2.5applications per place 74%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: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 141355 · 881/2114
Trust: South Essex Academy Trust
Capacity: 210 pupils · 196 on roll
Free school meals: 44.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 December 2014
Replaced: Melbourne Park Primary and Nursery School (URN 115024)
Address: Melbourne Avenue, Chelmsford, CM1 2DX
Local authority: Essex · Chelmsford

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