Edward Francis Primary School

About Edward Francis Primary School

Edward Francis Primary School in Rochford was rated Good by Ofsted in its most recent graded inspection, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating. The school’s most telling exam metric is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which stands at 75%. That is comfortably above the Essex local authority average of 62% for primary schools, placing Edward Francis in the top quarter of schools nationally for this measure. The school ranks 10th out of 19 primary schools in Rochford, and 79th out of 444 across the whole of Essex. In the East of England region, it sits in the 16th percentile, meaning it outperforms the majority of its regional peers. The data suggests a school that has turned a corner and is now delivering solid academic outcomes for its pupils.

Looking closer at the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, the school’s strengths are clear. In reading, 88% of pupils met the expected standard and 37% reached the higher standard, with an average score of 107. In maths, 88% met the expected standard and 17% reached the higher standard, with an average score of 105. Writing saw 83% at the expected standard and 22% at the higher standard. These figures are all above the national averages for similar schools. The school does not publish progress scores, so it is not possible to say how much value it adds relative to pupils’ starting points, but the raw attainment is strong. With 425 pupils on roll, slightly above its capacity of 420, the school is popular and oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 208 applications for 58 places, with 55 first-preference offers made. That works out at 3.59 applications per place.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a library, gymnasium, playing fields, music rooms, an outdoor playground, forest school area, art studios and a chapel. Sports on offer include cross country, tennis, rounders, swimming, dance and cricket, while clubs range from science and art to book, eco, film and coding. For pupils with additional needs, the school has provisions for moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, visual impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. With 9.4% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a relatively mixed catchment. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary school is Grove Wood Primary School, 1.6 km away. Edward Francis suits families who want a well-performing state primary with strong core results, a wide range of enrichment activities and a clear upward trajectory in its Ofsted rating.

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