Coopersale and Theydon Garnon Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

About Coopersale and Theydon Garnon Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Coopersale and Theydon Garnon Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School sits within the Essex local authority, a large county with 444 primary schools. In the Epping Forest district specifically, it ranks 2nd out of 30 primary schools, placing it firmly in the top 10% locally. Its nearest peers at the very top of the local rankings include St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School in Colchester and Stambridge Primary School, both of which achieved a perfect ranking score of 100, alongside Great Totham Primary School with a score of 95. This is a small, Church of England state primary for mixed pupils aged 4 to 11, with 200 children on roll against a capacity of 235. The headteacher is Dale Bateman. The school is heavily oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 81 applications for just 29 places, with 26 of those coming as first preferences. That works out at nearly three applicants for every available spot, a clear sign of its strong local reputation.

Academically, the school performs well above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 83% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with an Essex average of just 62%. Every single child reached the expected standard in reading, and 94% did so in maths. At the higher standard, 11% of pupils achieved the higher benchmark across all three subjects, with 33% hitting that level in reading and 28% in maths. Average scaled scores were 108 in reading and 107 in maths. The school’s most recent graded Ofsted inspection, in 2017, rated it Good overall, with leadership and management and early years provision both judged Good. An ungraded inspection in December 2022 confirmed that the school remains Good. That is a notable improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2015, when it was rated Requires Improvement overall.

The school offers a solid range of facilities for a primary of its size, including playing fields, an ICT suite, art studios, a library, a gymnasium, a sensory room and a chapel. Sports provision covers tennis, rounders, gymnastics, swimming, cross country, dance and athletics, while clubs include chess, film club and choir. The school identifies five categories of special educational needs and disabilities it supports: specific learning difficulty (dyslexia), moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and other difficulty or disability. This is a school that suits families who value strong academic outcomes in a Church of England setting and are prepared to compete for a place in a popular, oversubscribed village primary. The high first-preference rate suggests it is a genuine first choice for most local families who apply.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Coopersale and Theydon Garnon Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents