Horndon-On-the-Hill CofE Primary School

About Horndon-On-the-Hill CofE Primary School

Horndon-On-the-Hill CofE Primary School is a Church of England state primary in Thurrock that is significantly oversubscribed, a clear signal of its local reputation. With 261 pupils on roll against a capacity of 210, the school is operating above its official limit, and for the 2025/26 admissions round it received 70 applications for just 30 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.33. Only 38 of those applications were first-preference, but all 30 offers went to first-preference families. The school’s intake is notably less disadvantaged than the national average: just 7.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared with around 23% nationally. This demographic profile, combined with the school’s religious character and its nursery provision for children from age two, suggests a popular choice among local families who value a faith-based setting and are keen to secure a place early.

Academically, the school performs well above the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 75% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, against a Thurrock average of 67%. This places Horndon-On-the-Hill 11th out of 39 primary schools in the borough, and in the top 25% nationally. Subject-level results are strong: 86% met expectations in both reading and writing, and 79% in maths. Average scaled scores of 105 in both reading and maths are comfortably above the national benchmark of 100. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2023, awarded a Good rating across all five categories — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — maintaining the same overall grade it received in 2015.

The school offers a solid range of facilities for a primary of its size, including a sports hall, playing fields, a forest school area, a sensory room and a chapel. Sports provision covers football, cricket, dance, cross country, swimming and athletics, while clubs include art, coding, science, chess, eco and choir. SEND support is broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, physical disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder. For families seeking a Church of England primary with strong academic outcomes and a clear sense of demand, Horndon-On-the-Hill is a compelling option — but early application is essential given the oversubscription. Its above-capacity roll and high first-preference offer rate suggest a settled, well-regarded school that local parents are keen to get into.

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