Classpot
Limes Farm Junior School

Limes Farm Junior School

Epping Forest, IG7 5LPPrimary School·Ages 7-11
Goodby Ofsted

64%

Capacity

153

Pupils

N/A

Demand

About Limes Farm Junior School

Limes Farm Junior School in Epping Forest was rated Good by Ofsted in its most recent graded inspection in 2012, and an ungraded inspection in 2022 confirmed the school remains Good. The most telling exam metric is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which sits at 43%. That is notably below the Essex local authority average of 62%, and places the school 28th out of 30 primary schools in the Epping Forest district. In national rankings, it falls in the bottom 50% of schools. The school’s Progress 8 scores are not available, but individual subject results show 64% of pupils met the expected standard in maths, 57% in writing and 53% in reading. Higher-standard attainment is low: just 2% achieved the higher benchmark across all three subjects.

The school’s Ofsted history shows it has improved from a Requires Improvement rating in 2008 to Good by 2012, a rating it has held across both subsequent inspections. Leadership and management were also judged Good in the 2012 graded inspection. With 153 pupils on roll against a capacity of 240, the school is significantly undersubscribed, which may reflect local demographic trends or parental preference. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 44.4%, well above the national average, indicating a high level of disadvantage. The school does not have a nursery or sixth form, and is a mixed, non-religious state primary for ages 7 to 11.

Facilities include a sports hall, music rooms, art studios, an ICT suite and a chapel. Sports offered range from gymnastics and athletics to netball, swimming and cricket, and after-school clubs include science, coding, drama and art club. The school has a broad range of SEND provisions, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing impairment, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. This makes it a potentially strong fit for families whose children require specialist support within a mainstream setting. Given its below-average academic outcomes and high FSM rate, parents prioritising strong exam results may want to explore higher-performing local alternatives.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range7 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressLimes Avenue, Chigwell, Epping Forest, IG7 5LP
HeadteacherS Pardalis
Local AuthorityEssex
Number of Pupils153
Free School Meals (FSM)44.4%
School Capacity153 / 240 (64% full)

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

3 Nov 2022
View Report

Overall Effectiveness

Good

Latest inspection (3 Nov 2022): School remains Good

Improved
Leadership & Management
Good

Source: Ofsted, 9 Feb 2012. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

League Table Position

Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (43%)

12077th of 13,686

Nationally

Top 88%

1366th of 1,612

In East of England

Top 85%

28th of 30

In Epping Forest

Top 93%

Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data

KS2 SATs Results

2023/24

Reading, Writing & Maths Combined

43%

Expected Standard

2%

Higher Standard

ReadingAvg Score: 101
Expected:53%
Higher:15%
Writing
Expected:57%
Higher:4%
MathsAvg Score: 103
Expected:64%
Higher:13%
RWM Expected Standard % over timeDeclining -16%

'22/23

59%

'23/24

43%

Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingPhysicalLearning Difficulty

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

Facilities

6
Sports HallMusic RoomsArt StudiosOutdoor PlaygroundICT SuiteChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

10

Sports

GymnasticsAthleticsNetballSwimmingDanceCricket

Clubs & Activities

Science ClubCodingDramaArt Club

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:55 – 15:15

After-school care

15:15-17:15

Source: limesfarmjuniorschool.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

Class profile

2024/25
Pupils per teacherBelow average
20.7pupils per qualified teacher

Half of schools in England do better than this.

Average class sizeAbove average
24.3pupils per class

Better than half of schools in England.

Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

Pupils & demographics

2024/25
Free school meals44.4%

Among the highest-disadvantage schools.

English as additional language46.4%

Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.

Ethnic background

  • White (other)29.4%
  • White British27.5%
  • Asian19.0%
  • Mixed11.7%
  • Black2.0%

Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.

Attendance & Behaviour

2024/25
Overall attendanceAbove average
95.4%

Better than half of schools in England.

Persistent absenteesAbove average
11.9%

Better than half of schools in England.

Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.

Fixed-period suspensionsAbove average
1.2 per 100

Better than half of schools in England.

A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.

Permanent exclusionsLike most schools
None

Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.

Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.

Catchment & Local Competition

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1 mile reference · no real data

No catchment data published for this school

The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.

Schools within 1 mile (reference area)

1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.

6

Total schools

5

Oversubscribed

6

Primary

High competition area

Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Limes Farm Junior School

Limes Farm Junior School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.

Contact Information

02085007566www.limesfarmjuniorschool.co.uk/

Limes Avenue, Chigwell

Epping Forest, IG7 5LP

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Limes Avenue, Chigwell

Epping Forest, IG7 5LP

Journey to School

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Opening Hours

Monday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Tuesday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Wednesday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Thursday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Friday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
SaturdayClosed
SundayClosed

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