Chrishall Holy Trinity and St Nicholas CofE (Aided) Primary School and Pre-School

About Chrishall Holy Trinity and St Nicholas CofE (Aided) Primary School and Pre-School

Chrishall Holy Trinity and St Nicholas CofE (Aided) Primary School and Pre-School sits within the Essex local authority, in the Uttlesford borough, and is a small Church of England primary for children aged 2 to 11. Among the 34 primary schools in Uttlesford, it ranks 7th, placing it comfortably in the top quarter of schools locally. Its ranking score of 79 puts it behind the very top performers in the county — St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School in Colchester and Stambridge Primary School both score 100, and Great Totham Primary School scores 95 — but Chrishall holds its own as a strong local option. The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 15 applications for just 8 places, with all 8 first-preference families offered a spot. That oversubscription ratio of 1.88 to 1 reflects its popularity among local parents. Headteacher Tracey Bratley leads a school of 126 pupils, which is above its stated capacity of 105, suggesting real demand for places.

Academically, Chrishall performs well above the Essex average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 79% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a local authority average of just 62%. The school is particularly strong in maths: every single pupil (100%) met the expected standard, and half achieved the higher standard. Reading scores are also solid, with 93% reaching the expected level and 29% hitting the higher threshold. Writing is slightly lower, with 86% at expected and 14% at greater depth. Average scaled scores of 110 in maths and 109 in reading are well above the national benchmark of 100. Ofsted last inspected the school in July 2022 and confirmed it remains Good, with leadership and management also rated Good. The previous graded inspection in 2012 had rated overall effectiveness Good too, so the school has maintained a consistent standard over time.

The school offers a practical range of facilities including a dining hall, library, sports hall, chapel, outdoor playground and playing fields. Sports provision is broad, covering football, netball, cricket, tennis, swimming, athletics and cross country. Clubs include science club, drama and film club. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists support for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, autistic spectrum disorder, social and emotional mental health needs, and physical disabilities. There is no nursery provision on site, and the school does not have a sixth form. Given its small size, strong academic results and oversubscribed status, Chrishall is best suited to families living within its catchment area who value a church school with a strong community feel and a proven track record in maths and reading.

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