Hereward Primary School

About Hereward Primary School

Hereward Primary School sits in the Epping Forest district of Essex, a state primary for mixed-gender pupils aged 3 to 11. It is the top-ranked primary in the Epping Forest local authority, according to the most recent Key Stage 2 data, placing first out of 30 schools in the area. That puts it ahead of strong local peers such as Stambridge Primary School, St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School in Colchester, and Great Totham Primary School, all of which share the same top-tier ranking bracket. The school is led by headteacher Renette Fourie and currently has 449 pupils on roll, which is slightly above its official capacity of 420. Around 12% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, a figure that gives some indication of the school's intake. With an Outstanding rating from Ofsted in its most recent inspection in 2024, Hereward has maintained that top grade across both its 2013 and 2024 inspections, with every inspected category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — all judged Outstanding.

Academically, Hereward Primary School performs well above both local and national averages. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 88% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a local authority average of 62%. The school also excels at the higher standard, with 31% of pupils achieving that level across all three subjects. In reading, 59% reached the higher standard, and in maths it was 56%. Average scaled scores were 111 in reading and 110 in maths, both comfortably above the national benchmark of 100. Writing was also strong, with 90% meeting the expected standard and 37% reaching the higher level. Nationally, the school ranks in the top 4% of all primaries for its combined expected standard performance, and within the East of England region it sits 46th out of 1,612 schools. These results suggest a consistently high level of teaching and pupil achievement across the core subjects.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a sports hall, playing fields, art studios, music rooms, a sensory room and even a chapel. Sports on offer include swimming, netball, dance and athletics, while clubs range from science and coding to chess, film and choir. There is nursery provision for younger children, though no sixth form given the primary age range. For families with children who have additional needs, Hereward lists support for a wide spectrum of conditions, including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, visual impairment, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. Admissions are competitive: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 168 applications for 60 places, with 64 first-preference applications and 48 first-preference offers made. That oversubscription ratio of 2.8 reflects the school's strong local reputation. This is a school that suits families who value high academic standards, a full range of enrichment activities, and a well-resourced environment for both typical and SEND pupils.

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