Academy converter · Essex

Great Bentley Primary School

5–11Ages
258Pupils
PrimaryPhase
149967URN

Plough Road, Great Bentley, Colchester, CO7 8LD · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded OutstandingSep 2015

School remains OutstandingUngraded inspection · Nov 2022

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.2per place

0.2 below Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

119 applications for 55 places · 213th of 363 in Essex

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

61%met the expected standard

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded OutstandingSep 2015

School remains OutstandingUngraded inspection · Nov 2022

Inspection history

3 November 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains Outstanding · as Great Bentley Primary School, URN 114736
29 September 2015
Graded inspection: Outstanding · as Great Bentley Primary School, URN 114736

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

2.2applications per place, Reception

0.2 below Essex median (2.4) close to England median (2.2)

119 applications · 55 places offered · 50 named it first

2026 2.2; Essex median median 2.4
2025 3.6; Essex median median 2.4
2024 2.3; Essex median median 2.4
2023 3.5; Essex median median 2.4; as the previous school
2022 3.7; Essex median median 2.4; as the previous school
2021 3.6; Essex median median 2.3; as the previous school
2020 3.7; Essex median median 2.4; as the previous school
2019 3.6; Essex median median 2.5; as the previous school
2018 3.6; Essex median median 2.5; as the previous school
2017 4.0; Essex median median 2.6; as the previous school
2016 2.9; Essex median median 2.8; as the previous school
2015 2.8; Essex median median 2.7; as the previous school
2014 3.3; Essex median median 2.8; as the previous school

This school
Essex median

Dashed bars: as Great Bentley Primary School (URN 114736), 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	55	119	2.2	50	0.91
Sep 2025	34	121	3.6	31	0.91
Sep 2024	50	117	2.3	42	0.84
Sep 2023 *	30	104	3.5	41	1.37
Sep 2022 *	30	112	3.7	44	1.47
Sep 2021 *	30	108	3.6	42	1.40
Sep 2020 *	30	110	3.7	41	1.37
Sep 2019 *	28	101	3.6	39	1.39
Sep 2018 *	30	108	3.6	42	1.40
Sep 2017 *	30	119	4.0	43	1.43
Sep 2016 *	30	87	2.9	37	1.23
Sep 2015 *	29	80	2.8	27	0.93
Sep 2014 *	30	98	3.3	35	1.17

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 82% · Writing 79% · Maths 71% → all three 61% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard61%234th of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard82%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard21%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 103 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard79%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth18%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard71%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard21%

Essex 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 104 (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	61%	11%	103	104
2023/24	67%	3%	108	107
2022/23	66%	7%	106	104

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

Great Bentley Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Remains Outstanding2022

2.2applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
Weeley St Andrew's CofE Primary School
3.6 km · Essex

Good2022

2.0applications per place 29%met the SATs standard
Alresford Primary School
4.5 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

3.8applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
Tendring Primary School
4.8 km · Essex

Standards maintained2025

2.9applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery
5.3 km · Essex

Good2024

1.2applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
St George's Church of England Primary School, Great Bromley
5.4 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

2.7applications per place 47%met the SATs standard
St Osyth Church of England Primary School
6.1 km · Essex

Good2023

1.3applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
Engaines Primary School and Nursery
6.1 km · Essex

Good2022

2.6applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Elmstead Primary School
6.3 km · Essex

2026

3.9applications per place 47%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: 149967 · 881/2045
Trust: Penrose Learning Trust
Capacity: 270 pupils · 258 on roll
Free school meals: 17.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 September 2023
Replaced: Great Bentley Primary School (URN 114736)
Address: Plough Road, Great Bentley, Colchester, CO7 8LD
Local authority: Essex · Tendring

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