Academy sponsor led · Essex

Debden Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary Academy

4–11Ages
140Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
143855URN

High Street, Debden, Saffron Walden, CB11 3LE · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jun 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.8per place

0.4 above Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

39 applications for 14 places

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

78%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 · 20 June 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development	Outstanding
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

2.8applications per place, Reception

0.4 above Essex median (2.4) 0.6 above England median (2.2)

39 applications · 14 places offered · 14 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.8; Essex median median 2.4
2025 2.5; Essex median median 2.4
2024 2.5; Essex median median 2.4
2023 1.9; Essex median median 2.4
2022 1.7; Essex median median 2.4
2021 2.8; Essex median median 2.3
2020 1.5; Essex median median 2.4
2019 2.1; Essex median median 2.5
2018 3.2; Essex median median 2.5
2017 2.4; Essex median median 2.6
2016 3.0; Essex median median 2.8; as the previous school
2015 2.0; Essex median median 2.7; as the previous school
2014 2.0; Essex median median 2.8; as the previous school

This school
Essex median

Dashed bars: as Debden Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School (URN 115128), 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	14	39	2.8	14	1.00
Sep 2025	23	57	2.5	25	1.09
Sep 2024	17	42	2.5	16	0.94
Sep 2023	21	39	1.9	20	0.95
Sep 2022	19	33	1.7	19	1.00
Sep 2021	12	33	2.8	12	1.00
Sep 2020	23	35	1.5	17	0.74
Sep 2019	15	32	2.1	14	0.93
Sep 2018	12	38	3.2	9	0.75
Sep 2017	17	40	2.4	16	0.94
Sep 2016 *	13	39	3.0	13	1.00
Sep 2015 *	23	46	2.0	23	1.00
Sep 2014 *	23	46	2.0	21	0.91

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

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

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard78%56th of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard83%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard50%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard83%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth22%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard78%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard11%

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	78%	11%	107	103
2023/24	71%	14%	108	106
2022/23	85%	0%	109	106

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

Debden Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary AcademyThis school
This school

Good2023

2.8applications per place 78%met the SATs standard
Katherine Semar Junior School
3.7 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2025

79%met the SATs standard
Katherine Semar Infant School
3.8 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.5applications per place
Newport Primary School
3.8 km · Essex

Some aspects not as strong2025

1.9applications per place 16%met the SATs standard
Wimbish Primary Academy
4.3 km · Essex

Remains Good2022

1.2applications per place
St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden
4.7 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

3.3applications per place 94%met the SATs standard
R A Butler Infant School
4.9 km · Essex

Improved significantly2024

2.0applications per place
R A Butler Junior School
4.9 km · Essex

Outstanding2024

82%met the SATs standard
Henham and Ugley Primary and Nursery School
5.4 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.7applications per place 70%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 143855 · 881/2155
Trust: Great Oak Multi Academy Trust
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 161 pupils · 140 on roll
Free school meals: 9.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 January 2017
Replaced: Debden Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School (URN 115128)
Address: High Street, Debden, Saffron Walden, CB11 3LE
Local authority: Essex · Uttlesford

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