High Ongar Primary School

About High Ongar Primary School

High Ongar Primary School is a small state primary in the Epping Forest area, and the numbers suggest it is a popular choice among local families. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 45 applications for just 14 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.21. That means more than three families applied for every available spot, and all 10 first-preference applicants were offered a place. While the school does not publish a formal parent satisfaction percentage, the high demand is a strong practical signal that families in the area rate it. The school is led by headteacher Jodie Evans and has a mixed intake of 136 pupils, with 16.2 per cent eligible for free school meals. Its facilities include an ICT suite, a sensory room, a sports hall, outdoor playground and playing fields, plus a chapel on site.

Academically, High Ongar holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained consistently across its two most recent inspections, including the most recent graded inspection in January 2023. In that inspection, every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — was rated Good. At Key Stage 2 in the 2023/24 academic year, 56 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That is below the local authority average of 62 per cent for the same measure. However, the school’s average scaled scores were solid: 107 in reading and 105 in maths. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher standard in reading and maths was 28 per cent each, and 22 per cent in writing. In the Epping Forest local authority ranking, the school sits 20th out of 30 primary schools on the KS2 expected standard metric.

For families considering High Ongar, the school’s small size is a defining feature. With 136 pupils against a capacity of 150, classes are likely to feel intimate, and the school offers a range of clubs including chess, gardening and film club, plus sports such as athletics, swimming, gymnastics and tennis. The school has a strong SEND offer, with provisions listed for moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. This suggests it is well set up to support children with a variety of additional needs. The school is oversubscribed, so applying as a first preference is advisable. It is a non-religious community school, and there is no nursery or sixth form provision. This is a school that will suit families looking for a close-knit, well-supported primary with good facilities and a consistent track record of Good teaching.

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