Academy converter · Essex

The Downs Primary School and Nursery

3–11Ages
362Pupils
PrimaryPhase
146157URN

The Hides, Harlow, CM20 3RB · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · May 2025 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.9per place

0.5 below Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

73 applications for 39 places · 275th of 363 in Essex

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

52%met the expected standard

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 20 May 2025Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
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

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

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

73 applications · 39 places offered · 35 named it first

2026 1.9; Essex median median 2.4
2025 2.1; Essex median median 2.4
2024 1.6; Essex median median 2.4
2023 2.1; Essex median median 2.4
2022 1.9; Essex median median 2.4
2021 2.3; Essex median median 2.3
2020 2.6; Essex median median 2.4
2019 2.3; Essex median median 2.5
2018 2.3; Essex median median 2.5; as the previous school
2017 2.2; Essex median median 2.6; as the previous school
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 1.7; Essex median median 2.8; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Essex median in 1 of 8 years.

This school
Essex median

Dashed bars: as The Downs Primary School and Nursery (URN 115016), 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	39	73	1.9	35	0.90
Sep 2025	24	51	2.1	24	1.00
Sep 2024	47	77	1.6	44	0.94
Sep 2023	44	91	2.1	34	0.77
Sep 2022	51	98	1.9	42	0.82
Sep 2021	36	81	2.3	33	0.92
Sep 2020	34	88	2.6	26	0.76
Sep 2019	53	122	2.3	51	0.96
Sep 2018 *	50	114	2.3	45	0.90
Sep 2017 *	47	105	2.2	37	0.79
Sep 2016 *	38	113	3.0	35	0.92
Sep 2015 *	60	121	2.0	40	0.67
Sep 2014 *	60	101	1.7	37	0.62

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 71% · Writing 57% · Maths 59% → all three 52% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard52%305th of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard71%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard21%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 103 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard57%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth4%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard59%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard16%

Essex 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 102 (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	52%	4%	103	102
2023/24	45%	0%	102	101
2022/23	46%	4%	102	100

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

The Downs Primary School and NurseryThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.9applications per place 52%met the SATs standard
Freshwaters Primary Academy
0.5 km · Essex

Standards maintained2025

2.0applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
St Alban's Catholic Academy
1.0 km · Essex

Standards maintained2024

1.9applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
Pemberley Academy
1.1 km · Essex

Remains Good · improving2024

3.8applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
William Martin Church of England Junior School
1.1 km · Essex

Good2022

60%met the SATs standard
Hare Street Community Primary School and Nursery
1.1 km · Essex

Standards maintained2025

2.9applications per place 85%met the SATs standard
Little Parndon Primary Academy
1.3 km · Essex

Requires improvement2023

1.7applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
Cooks Spinney Primary Academy and Nursery
1.4 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.6applications per place 38%met the SATs standard
Abbotsweld Primary Academy
1.4 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

2.0applications per place 73%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 146157 · 881/2833
Trust: The Passmores Co-Operative Learning Community
Capacity: 420 pupils · 362 on roll
Free school meals: 26.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 September 2018
Replaced: The Downs Primary School and Nursery (URN 115016)
Address: The Hides, Harlow, CM20 3RB
Local authority: Essex · Harlow

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