Great Wakering Primary Academy

About Great Wakering Primary Academy

Great Wakering Primary Academy is a state primary school in Rochford, Essex, that is currently running very close to its full capacity of 420 pupils, with 407 children on roll. The school serves a community with a noticeably higher proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals than the national average, with 22.1% of children qualifying, which is significantly above the typical figure for primary schools across England. Demand for places is strong and the school was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, receiving 82 applications for just 60 available places. Of those, 57 first-preference offers were made, and the school received 60 first-preference applications in total, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.37. This suggests that Great Wakering Primary is a popular choice among local families, despite the fact that it ranks 17th out of 19 primary schools in the Rochford local authority area according to its KS2 results, placing it in the bottom tier of schools regionally.

Academically, the school's most recent Key Stage 2 results from the 2023/24 academic year show that 55% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. This is below the Essex local authority average of 62%, and the school ranks 268th out of 444 primary schools in the county. However, individual subject scores tell a more nuanced story. In reading, 72% of pupils reached the expected standard and the average scaled score was 104, while in maths 73% met the expected standard with an average score of 102. Writing was the weakest area, with 63% achieving the expected standard. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher standard across all three subjects was just 7%. In its most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2014, the school was rated Good overall, with Good marks for leadership and management, and for early years provision. A subsequent ungraded inspection in January 2025 confirmed that standards had been maintained, a positive sign for parents concerned about consistency.

The school offers a range of facilities including a dining hall, outdoor playground, gymnasium, ICT suite, sports hall, sensory room and a chapel. Sports provision includes cross country, rounders, swimming and tennis, while extracurricular clubs cover coding, eco club and drama. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists support for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. Parent views are mixed: while 73% of the 77 respondents would recommend the school, the Parent View survey reveals some significant areas of concern. Only 27% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that SEND children receive the support they need, and 34% disagreed or strongly disagreed that concerns are dealt with properly. On the positive side, 86% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that their child does well at the school, and 86% felt there is a good range of subjects available. This school may suit families who value its strong community feel and wide range of activities, but those with children requiring SEND support may want to investigate further.

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