Academy converter · Essex

Bardfield Academy

2–11Ages
421Pupils
PrimaryPhase
143203URN

Clay Hill Road, Vange, Basildon, SS16 4NL · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jun 2024 Previous framework

Requires improvement

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.7per place

0.7 below Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

55 applications for 32 places · 295th of 363 in Essex

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

68%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 · 11 June 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	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

1.7applications per place, Reception

0.7 below Essex median (2.4) 0.5 below England median (2.2)

55 applications · 32 places offered · 29 named it first

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 1.7; Essex median median 2.4
2025 1.6; Essex median median 2.4
2024 1.5; Essex median median 2.4
2023 1.9; Essex median median 2.4
2022 1.9; Essex median median 2.4
2021 2.0; Essex median median 2.3
2020 1.6; Essex median median 2.4
2019 1.6; Essex median median 2.5
2018 1.6; Essex median median 2.5
2017 2.0; Essex median median 2.6
2016 1.6; Essex median median 2.8; as the previous school
2015 1.9; Essex median median 2.7; as the previous school
2014 1.9; Essex median median 2.8; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Essex median in 0 of 10 years.

This school
Essex median

Dashed bars: as Bardfield Primary & Nursery School (URN 133341), 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	32	55	1.7	29	0.91
Sep 2025	38	59	1.6	34	0.89
Sep 2024	49	71	1.5	46	0.94
Sep 2023	44	83	1.9	40	0.91
Sep 2022	54	100	1.9	52	0.96
Sep 2021	41	80	2.0	37	0.90
Sep 2020	60	96	1.6	59	0.98
Sep 2019	59	94	1.6	50	0.85
Sep 2018	51	82	1.6	42	0.82
Sep 2017	54	107	2.0	45	0.83
Sep 2016 *	60	97	1.6	45	0.75
Sep 2015 *	60	111	1.9	50	0.83
Sep 2014 *	59	112	1.9	51	0.86

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 75% · Writing 73% · Maths 75% → all three 68% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard68%165th of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard75%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard22%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard73%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth8%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard75%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard20%

Essex 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 103 (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	68%	8%	105	103
2023/24	40%	0%	103	101
2022/23	41%	5%	101	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

Bardfield AcademyThis school
This school

Requires improvement2024

1.7applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
Ryedene Primary and Nursery School
0.5 km · Essex

Improved significantly2025

1.7applications per place 76%met the SATs standard
Greensted Primary School & Nursery
0.8 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2024

3.0applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
Cherry Tree Primary School
0.8 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.0applications per place 38%met the SATs standard
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Basildon
0.9 km · Essex

2026

2.0applications per place 87%met the SATs standard
Maple Grove Primary School
1.0 km · Essex

2026

2.1applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Fairhouse Community Primary School
1.2 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

2.5applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Vange Primary School and Nursery
1.3 km · Essex

Good2022

3.0applications per place 46%met the SATs standard
Kingswood Primary School and Nursery
1.6 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

2.3applications per place 67%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 converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 143203 · 881/3255
Trust: South Essex Academy Trust
Capacity: 420 pupils · 421 on roll
Free school meals: 49.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 September 2016
Replaced: Bardfield Primary & Nursery School (URN 133341)
Address: Clay Hill Road, Vange, Basildon, SS16 4NL
Local authority: Essex · Basildon

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