Great Berry Primary School

About Great Berry Primary School

Great Berry Primary School’s headline metrics present a mixed picture when compared with the Essex local authority average for primary schools. The school’s Key Stage 2 performance sees 57% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is five percentage points below the LA average of 62%. This places the school in the bottom half of primary schools nationally, ranking 8,732 out of 13,686. However, the picture is more nuanced when you look at individual subjects. In reading, 83% of pupils met the expected standard and the average scaled score was 107, while in maths 78% met the expected standard with an average score of 106. These are solid figures that suggest the combined measure is being pulled down by writing, where only 65% reached the expected level and just 16% achieved the higher standard.

The school’s Ofsted inspection in October 2023 rated it Good overall, a step down from its previous Outstanding rating in 2012. The inspection report highlights some real strengths: personal development and behaviour and attitudes were both judged Outstanding. Leadership and management, quality of education, and early years provision were all rated Good. The Progress 8 measure is not available for this primary school, but the attainment data shows that while the proportion of pupils reaching the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined is just 14%, individual subject higher scores are stronger – 32% in reading and 30% in maths. This suggests the school is particularly effective at stretching pupils in reading and maths, but writing remains an area for development.

Great Berry is a popular school in Basildon, oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year with 164 applications for 60 places, and 55 of the 63 first-preference families were offered a place. The school has a very low proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at just 1.4%, well below the national average. Facilities include an ICT suite, sports hall, sensory room, music rooms, art studios, library and a chapel. The school offers a range of sports including swimming, gymnastics and football, plus clubs such as chess, gardening and science club. SEND provision covers specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, speech and language needs, hearing impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that suits families who value strong behaviour and personal development, and who are comfortable with a setting that performs around the LA average academically but excels in pastoral care.

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