Best primary schools in Essex (2026)

Essex has 442 ranked primary schools with published results. The top-ranked is Shenfield St. Mary's Church of England Primary School, in the top 1% in England. The average reading, writing & maths here in 2025 was 65%, against 62% for England. 50 are in England's top 10%, and 13 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted.

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Rank	School	Reading, writing & maths (2023–2025 average)	Reading, writing & maths 2025	Higher standard	Ofsted
1 Top 1% in England	Shenfield St. Mary's Church of England Primary School Brentwood · Church of England	91%	93%	38%	Outstanding
2 Top 1% in England	St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, South Weald Brentwood · Church of England	94%	98%	28%	Report card
3 Top 1% in England	Lee Chapel Primary School Basildon	86%	85%	46%	Outstanding
4 Top 1% in England	Quarry Hill Academy Grays	93%	88%	23%	No rating
5 Top 1% in England	St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, Colchester Colchester · Catholic	95%	93%	23%	Outstanding
6 Top 1% in England	St Peter's Catholic Primary School Billericay · Roman Catholic	88%	96%	39%	Outstanding
7 Top 1% in England	St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden Saffron Walden · Roman Catholic	92%	94%	16%	No rating
8 Top 2% in England	Barons Court Primary School and Nursery Southend-on-Sea	91%	91%	21%	No rating
9 Top 2% in England	Margaretting Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Margaretting · Church of England	88%	80%	30%	No rating
10 Top 2% in England	Kingston Primary School Thundersley and South Benfleet	86%	90%	37%	Outstanding
11 Top 2% in England	Perryfields Junior School Chelmsford	89%	91%	23%	Outstanding
12 Top 3% in England	Dilkes Academy South Ockendon	86%	86%	19%	Outstanding
13 Top 3% in England	Hare Street Community Primary School and Nursery Harlow	90%	85%	13%	Outstanding
14 Top 4% in England	Hereward Primary School Loughton	81%	90%	31%	Outstanding
15 Top 4% in England	Lift Hockley Hockley and Hawkwell	83%	80%	29%	Report card
16 Top 4% in England	Shalford Primary School Braintree	79%	87%	47%	Good
17 Top 4% in England	St Anne Line Catholic Junior School Basildon · Roman Catholic	85%	89%	19%	Not judged
18 Top 5% in England	Chancellor Park Primary School, Chelmsford Chelmsford	85%	87%	17%	Outstanding
19 Top 5% in England	Beehive Lane Community Primary School Chelmsford	78%	77%	29%	No rating
20 Top 5% in England	Lift Ashingdon Ashingdon	85%	87%	30%	Good
21 Top 5% in England	R A Butler Junior School Saffron Walden	78%	82%	33%	Outstanding
22 Top 5% in England	Long Ridings Primary School Brentwood	80%	77%	23%	No rating
23 Top 5% in England	Quilters Junior School Billericay	80%	85%	21%	No rating
24 Top 6% in England	Bournes Green Junior School Southend-on-Sea	80%	80%	24%	Good
25 Top 6% in England	Katherine Semar Junior School Saffron Walden	80%	79%	22%	Not judged
26 Top 6% in England	West Leigh Junior School Southend-on-Sea	80%	84%	22%	Report card
27 Top 7% in England	St Helen's Catholic Junior School Brentwood · Roman Catholic	79%	78%	27%	No rating
28 Top 7% in England	Great Totham Primary School Great Totham (near Wickham Bishops)	83%	82%	16%	No rating
29 Top 8% in England	Buttsbury Primary School Billericay	78%	79%	25%	Report card
30 Top 8% in England	Great Dunmow Primary School Great Dunmow	82%	87%	13%	Not judged
31 Top 8% in England	Burnham-on-Crouch Primary School Burnham-on-Crouch	78%	73%	17%	No rating
32 Top 8% in England	Chadwell St Mary Primary School Chadwell St Mary	81%	86%	21%	No rating
33 Top 8% in England	Rayleigh Primary School Rayleigh	82%	78%	11%	Good
34 Top 8% in England	Home Farm Primary School Colchester	77%	75%	13%	Report card
35 Top 8% in England	Highwoods Community Primary School Colchester	77%	78%	24%	No rating
36 Top 8% in England	The Robert Drake Primary School Thundersley and South Benfleet	81%	85%	9%	Good
37 Top 8% in England	Aveley Primary School Aveley	80%	81%	19%	Good
38 Top 8% in England	Coopersale and Theydon Garnon Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Coopersale · Church of England	79%	74%	26%	No rating
39 Top 9% in England	Pemberley Academy Harlow	78%	67%	23%	No rating
40 Top 9% in England	Kelvedon St Mary's Church of England Primary Academy Kelvedon and Feering · Church of England	78%	72%	9%	Good
41 Top 9% in England	The Tyrrells School Chelmsford	80%	80%	13%	Good
42 Top 9% in England	Heathlands Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, West Bergholt West Bergholt · Church of England	78%	86%	24%	No rating
43 Top 9% in England	Lift Westerings Hockley and Hawkwell	77%	85%	25%	No rating
44 Top 9% in England	Lift Plumberow Hockley and Hawkwell	78%	79%	14%	No rating
45 Top 9% in England	Highfields Primary School Lawford	77%	74%	9%	No rating
46 Top 10% in England	St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Burnham-on-Crouch Burnham-on-Crouch · Church of England	83%	94%	6%	No rating
47 Top 10% in England	Kenningtons Primary Academy Aveley	80%	88%	19%	Not judged
48 Top 10% in England	Somers Heath Primary School South Ockendon	81%	81%	8%	Report card
49 Top 10% in England	St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Great Yeldham Great Yeldham · Church of England	84%	87%	0%	Good
50 Top 10% in England	Edwards Hall Primary School Southend-on-Sea	78%	88%	16%	No rating
51 Top 11% in England	St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Basildon Basildon · Roman Catholic	80%	87%	10%	Report card
52 Top 11% in England	St Andrew's Church of England Primary Academy, Marks Tey Marks Tey · Church of England	76%	76%	19%	No rating
53 Top 11% in England	Woodville Primary School South Woodham Ferrers	78%	67%	14%	Not judged
54 Top 11% in England	Cold Norton Primary School Cold Norton (Maldon)	78%	70%	22%	Good
55 Top 11% in England	St Francis Catholic Primary School, Braintree Braintree · Catholic	77%	83%	17%	Good
56 Top 12% in England	Little Waltham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Little Waltham · Church of England	75%	70%	20%	Good
57 Top 12% in England	Harris Primary Academy Chafford Hundred Chafford Hundred, West Thurrock and Purfleet-on-Thames	77%	76%	10%	No rating
58 Top 12% in England	Hinguar Community Primary School Southend-on-Sea	76%	76%	17%	No rating
59 Top 13% in England	St Mary's Catholic Primary School Tilbury · Roman Catholic	76%	70%	17%	Good
60 Top 13% in England	Cressing Primary School Tye Green (Braintree)	79%	79%	7%	No rating
61 Top 13% in England	Myland Community Primary School Colchester	74%	76%	13%	No rating
62 Top 14% in England	Henham and Ugley Primary and Nursery School Henham	79%	70%	0%	Not judged
63 Top 14% in England	Ivy Chimneys Primary School Epping	79%	83%	8%	No rating
64 Top 14% in England	Elsenham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Elsenham · Church of England	77%	78%	13%	No rating
65 Top 14% in England	St Clare's Catholic Primary School Clacton-on-Sea · Roman Catholic	80%	73%	5%	No rating
66 Top 15% in England	Chrishall Holy Trinity and St Nicholas CofE (Aided) Primary School and Pre-School Chrishall · Church of England	77%	73%	18%	No rating
67 Top 15% in England	Roxwell Church of England Primary School Roxwell · Church of England	75%	82%	24%	Good
68 Top 15% in England	Wix and Wrabness Primary School Wix	77%	83%	22%	Good
69 Top 15% in England	Debden Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary Academy Debden · Church of England	78%	78%	11%	Good
70 Top 15% in England	Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Rickling Green and Quendon · Church of England	75%	75%	8%	No rating
71 Top 16% in England	Baddow Hall Junior School Chelmsford	70%	73%	29%	Good
72 Top 16% in England	St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester Colchester · Roman Catholic	72%	74%	19%	Not judged
73 Top 16% in England	Great Chesterford Church of England Primary Academy Great Chesterford · Church of England	79%	88%	8%	Good
74 Top 16% in England	Kendall Church of England Primary School Colchester · Church of England	75%	72%	9%	Not judged
75 Top 16% in England	Leigh Beck Junior School Canvey Island	73%	70%	18%	Report card
76 Top 16% in England	Westlands Community Primary School Chelmsford	72%	77%	17%	Good
77 Top 16% in England	Bentley St Paul's Church of England Primary School Brentwood · Church of England	76%	73%	10%	Report card
78 Top 17% in England	Harris Primary Academy Mayflower Chafford Hundred, West Thurrock and Purfleet-on-Thames	77%	85%	11%	No rating
79 Top 17% in England	Woodside Academy Grays	75%	73%	13%	No rating
80 Top 17% in England	Langenhoe Community Primary School Langenhoe and Abberton	78%	78%	6%	Good
81 Top 17% in England	Giffards Primary School Stanford-le-Hope	76%	78%	10%	No rating
82 Top 17% in England	Roseacres Primary School Takeley and Little Canfield	73%	71%	12%	No rating
83 Top 17% in England	Hatfield Peverel St Andrew's Junior School Hatfield Peverel · Church of England	74%	84%	25%	Not judged
84 Top 18% in England	Ryedene Primary and Nursery School Basildon	74%	76%	18%	No rating
85 Top 18% in England	St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Saffron Walden · Church of England	71%	65%	26%	No rating
86 Top 18% in England	Shaw Primary Academy South Ockendon	75%	82%	11%	Not judged
87 Top 18% in England	St Pius X Catholic Primary School Chelmsford · Roman Catholic	71%	73%	18%	No rating
88 Top 18% in England	Meadgate Primary School Chelmsford	72%	75%	19%	Not judged
89 Top 18% in England	Hamilton Primary School Colchester	74%	79%	10%	Not judged
90 Top 18% in England	Lyons Hall School Braintree	73%	73%	18%	Good
91 Top 18% in England	Stisted Church of England Primary Academy Stisted · Church of England	69%	47%	20%	Outstanding
92 Top 19% in England	Sunnymede Primary School Billericay	69%	69%	18%	Not judged
93 Top 19% in England	Henry Moore Primary School Harlow	77%	78%	5%	No rating
94 Top 19% in England	Maltese Road Primary School Chelmsford	70%	74%	16%	No rating
95 Top 19% in England	Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School Chelmsford · Roman Catholic	70%	69%	13%	No rating
96 Top 19% in England	Moreton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Moreton (Epping Forest) · Church of England	71%	75%	25%	Good
97 Top 19% in England	Copford Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Copford · Church of England	73%	85%	21%	Report card
98 Top 19% in England	Clavering Primary School Clavering	75%	86%	4%	Good
99 Top 20% in England	Rochford Primary and Nursery School Rochford	73%	77%	23%	Report card
100 Top 20% in England	The Bishops' Church of England and Roman Catholic Primary School Chelmsford · Church of England/Roman Catholic	72%	80%	17%	No rating

Showing the top 100 of 442. See all 442 and filter them.

Best primary school in each town

Brentwood · best: Shenfield St. Mary's Church of England Primary School
Basildon · best: Lee Chapel Primary School
Grays · best: Quarry Hill Academy
Colchester · best: St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, Colchester
Billericay · best: St Peter's Catholic Primary School
Saffron Walden · best: St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden
Southend-on-Sea · best: Barons Court Primary School and Nursery
Thundersley and South Benfleet · best: Kingston Primary School
Chelmsford · best: Perryfields Junior School
South Ockendon · best: Dilkes Academy
Harlow · best: Hare Street Community Primary School and Nursery
Loughton · best: Hereward Primary School
Hockley and Hawkwell · best: Lift Hockley
Chadwell St Mary · best: Chadwell St Mary Primary School
Rayleigh · best: Rayleigh Primary School
South Woodham Ferrers · best: Woodville Primary School
Braintree · best: St Francis Catholic Primary School, Braintree
Chafford Hundred, West Thurrock and Purfleet-on-Thames · best: Harris Primary Academy Chafford Hundred
Tilbury · best: St Mary's Catholic Primary School
Clacton-on-Sea · best: St Clare's Catholic Primary School
Canvey Island · best: Leigh Beck Junior School
Stanford-le-Hope · best: Giffards Primary School
Rochford · best: Rochford Primary and Nursery School
Witham · best: Holy Family Catholic Primary School
Stansted Mountfitchet · best: St Mary's CofE Foundation Primary School
Tiptree · best: Milldene Primary School
Maldon · best: Wentworth Primary School
Wickford · best: Hilltop Junior School
Waltham Abbey · best: Waltham Holy Cross Primary Academy
Harwich · best: Chase Lane Primary School and Nursery
Halstead (Braintree) · best: St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Halstead

Also see

Questions

What is the best primary school in Essex?

On exam results over the last three years, Shenfield St. Mary's Church of England Primary School is the top-ranked primary school in Essex, in the top 1% of schools in England.

How are the schools ranked?

By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.