Academy converter · Essex

Home Farm Primary School

4–11Ages
422Pupils
PrimaryPhase
147713URN

Shelley Road, Lexden, Colchester, CO3 4JL · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jan 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

4.1per place

1.7 above Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

242 applications for 59 places · 15th of 363 in Essex

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

75%met the expected standard

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 27 January 2026Published 12 March 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Strong standard
Inclusion		Strong standard
Curriculum and teaching		Strong standard
Achievement		Strong standard
Attendance and behaviour	Exceptional
Personal development and wellbeing		Strong standard
Early years		Strong standard
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance		Strong standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

27 January 2026
Report card · 1 Exceptional, 6 Strong standard
21 October 2021
Ungraded inspection: School remains Outstanding

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

4.1applications per place, Reception

1.7 above Essex median (2.4) 1.9 above England median (2.2)

242 applications · 59 places offered · 71 named it first

2026 4.1; Essex median median 2.4
2025 3.4; Essex median median 2.4
2024 4.0; Essex median median 2.4
2023 3.1; Essex median median 2.4
2022 3.3; Essex median median 2.4
2021 3.6; Essex median median 2.3
2020 4.2; Essex median median 2.4; as the previous school
2019 3.8; Essex median median 2.5; as the previous school
2018 3.9; Essex median median 2.5; as the previous school
2017 8.3; Essex median median 2.6; as the previous school
2016 7.2; Essex median median 2.8; as the previous school
2015 6.2; Essex median median 2.7; as the previous school
2014 6.6; Essex median median 2.8; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Essex median in 6 of 6 years.

This school
Essex median

Dashed bars: as Home Farm Primary School (URN 114752), 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	59	242	4.1	71	1.20
Sep 2025	59	203	3.4	73	1.24
Sep 2024	59	235	4.0	81	1.37
Sep 2023	59	184	3.1	67	1.14
Sep 2022	60	199	3.3	64	1.07
Sep 2021	60	213	3.6	64	1.07
Sep 2020 *	59	245	4.2	76	1.29
Sep 2019 *	60	230	3.8	59	0.98
Sep 2018 *	60	232	3.9	59	0.98
Sep 2017 *	30	250	8.3	61	2.03
Sep 2016 *	30	215	7.2	37	1.23
Sep 2015 *	30	185	6.2	44	1.47
Sep 2014 *	30	198	6.6	55	1.83

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 82% · Writing 82% · Maths 89% → all three 75% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard75%89th of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard82%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard31%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard82%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth18%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard89%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard33%

Essex 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 107 (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	75%	13%	106	107
2023/24	78%	23%	108	108
2022/23	77%	32%	107	109

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

Home Farm Primary SchoolThis school
This school

2026

4.1applications per place 75%met the SATs standard
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester
0.3 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2025

3.1applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
Lexden Primary School with Unit for Hearing Impaired Pupils
0.3 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

3.2applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Stanway Fiveways Primary School
1.0 km · Essex

Good2022

2.4applications per place 54%met the SATs standard
Stanway Primary School
1.1 km · Essex

Good2022

2.8applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
Prettygate Junior School
1.2 km · Essex

Remains Good · improving2024

77%met the SATs standard
Prettygate Infant School
1.2 km · Essex

Good2022

2.7applications per place
Lakelands Primary School
1.6 km · Essex

Outstanding2023

2.6applications per place
Gosbecks Primary School
1.7 km · Essex

Remains Good2024

2.9applications per place 53%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 147713 · 881/2064
Trust: Alpha Trust
Capacity: 420 pupils · 422 on roll
Free school meals: 7.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 April 2020
Replaced: Home Farm Primary School (URN 114752)
Address: Shelley Road, Lexden, Colchester, CO3 4JL
Local authority: Essex · Colchester

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