Academy sponsor led · Essex

Waltham Holy Cross Primary Academy

3–11Ages
598Pupils
PrimaryPhase
147265URN

Quendon Drive, Waltham Abbey, EN9 1LG

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.3per place

1.1 below Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

107 applications for 81 places · 347th of 363 in Essex

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

73%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 · 26 March 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management	Outstanding
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

1.3applications per place, Reception

1.1 below Essex median (2.4) 0.9 below England median (2.2)

107 applications · 81 places offered · 79 named it first

2026 1.3; Essex median median 2.4
2025 1.4; Essex median median 2.4
2024 1.5; Essex median median 2.4
2023 1.4; Essex median median 2.4
2022 1.4; Essex median median 2.4
2021 1.2; Essex median median 2.3
2020 1.3; Essex median median 2.4
2019 1.3; Essex median median 2.5; as the previous school
2018 1.6; Essex median median 2.5; as the previous school
2017 1.8; Essex median median 2.6; as the previous school
2016 1.6; Essex median median 2.8; as the previous school
2015 1.6; Essex median median 2.7; as the previous school
2014 1.6; Essex median median 2.8; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Essex median in 0 of 7 years.

This school
Essex median

Dashed bars: as Waltham Holy Cross Primary Academy (URN 115286), Waltham Holy Cross Junior School (URN 114916), 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	81	107	1.3	79	0.98
Sep 2025	86	121	1.4	81	0.94
Sep 2024	70	108	1.5	68	0.97
Sep 2023	83	117	1.4	61	0.73
Sep 2022	65	91	1.4	50	0.77
Sep 2021	71	85	1.2	51	0.72
Sep 2020	57	75	1.3	40	0.70
Sep 2019 *	89	116	1.3	68	0.76
Sep 2018 *	76	123	1.6	68	0.89
Sep 2017 *	88	156	1.8	81	0.92
Sep 2016 *	89	144	1.6	85	0.96
Sep 2015 *	87	138	1.6	80	0.92
Sep 2014 *	90	145	1.6	80	0.89

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 84% · Writing 82% · Maths 82% → all three 73% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard73%110th of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard84%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard35%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard82%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth15%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard82%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard33%

Essex 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 106 (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	73%	11%	106	106
2023/24	64%	8%	106	105
2022/23	56%	5%	105	102

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

Waltham Holy Cross Primary AcademyThis school
This school

Good2024

1.3applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Leverton Primary School
1.2 km · Essex

Standards maintained2024

2.2applications per place 42%met the SATs standard
Hillhouse CofE Primary School
1.2 km · Essex

Remains Good2022

2.0applications per place 43%met the SATs standard
Holdbrook Primary School and Nursery
1.9 km · Hertfordshire

Good2022

2.1applications per place 52%met the SATs standard
Upshire Primary Foundation School
2.0 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.2applications per place 37%met the SATs standard
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (Wx)
2.3 km · Hertfordshire

Improved significantly2024

2.3applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
Four Swannes Primary School
2.5 km · Hertfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2024

3.3applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
Downfield Primary School
2.6 km · Hertfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.8applications per place 22%met the SATs standard
Keys Meadow Primary School
2.8 km · Enfield

Good2023

1.7applications per place 63%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 147265 · 881/2179
Trust: Net Academies Trust
Capacity: 630 pupils · 598 on roll
Free school meals: 27.5% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: Resourced provision
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 November 2019
Replaced: Waltham Holy Cross Primary Academy (URN 115286); Waltham Holy Cross Junior School (URN 114916)
Address: Quendon Drive, Waltham Abbey, EN9 1LG
Local authority: Essex · Epping Forest

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