Bentley St Paul's Church of England Primary School

About Bentley St Paul's Church of England Primary School

Bentley St Paul's Church of England Primary School sits comfortably above the Essex local authority average for Key Stage 2 outcomes. The most recent data shows 80% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a county average of 62% — a gap of 18 percentage points. That places the school fifth out of 18 primary schools in Brentwood and within the top 25% nationally for this key metric. The school also performs well on higher-level attainment: 10% of pupils achieved the higher standard across all three subjects, while 37% reached that level in reading and 30% in maths. Reading and writing expected scores both sit at 83% or above, and the average scaled scores of 106 in maths and 107 in reading are solid. For parents weighing up options in the area, these figures suggest a school that consistently delivers above the norm for Essex primary schools.

The school's most recent graded Ofsted inspection, in 2013, rated it Good overall, with leadership and management also judged Good. A subsequent ungraded inspection in 2018 confirmed the school remains Good. This is a step down from its previous Outstanding rating in 2008, but the school has held a steady Good rating across its two most recent inspections. With 203 pupils on roll against a capacity of 210, the school is nearly full. It is also oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 102 applications for 30 places, a ratio of 3.4 applicants per place, and 27 of the 35 first-preference families received an offer. The school serves a relatively affluent intake, with just 5.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including an ICT suite, sensory room, playing fields, art studios, a gymnasium and a chapel, reflecting its Church of England foundation. Sports provision covers rounders, netball, dance, athletics, swimming, cricket and tennis, while after-school clubs include drama, science, chess and book club. SEND support is well-documented, with provisions for moderate learning difficulty, social and emotional mental health, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. For families seeking a primary school with strong academic outcomes, a clear Christian character and a full programme of enrichment activities, Bentley St Paul's is a popular choice — the oversubscription figures speak for themselves. Its location in Brentwood, within the Essex local authority, makes it a practical option for families living in or near the town.

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