Mossbourne Herd Lane Academy

About Mossbourne Herd Lane Academy

Mossbourne Herd Lane Academy is a state primary school in Thurrock that is running almost exactly at capacity, with 479 pupils on roll against a published capacity of 480. The school serves a community where 22.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average for primary schools and suggests a significant proportion of families facing financial pressures. Demand for places is strong: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 81 applications for 51 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.59. Of those 81 applicants, 48 put the school as their first preference, and 47 first-preference offers were made. This level of competition indicates that Mossbourne Herd Lane is a popular choice among local families, particularly given that it is one of only five primary schools in Thurrock rated Outstanding by Ofsted, though the school itself currently holds a Good rating.

In its most recent graded inspection in 2016, the school was rated Good overall, with Good marks for leadership and management, early years provision, and behaviour and attitudes. A subsequent ungraded inspection in December 2022 confirmed that the school remains Good. Academically, the school performs above the local authority average at Key Stage 2: 70% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the Thurrock average of 67%. This places Mossbourne Herd Lane 18th out of 39 primary schools in the borough, putting it in the top half locally. In individual subjects, 84% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, 74% in maths, and 86% in writing. At the higher standard, 19% achieved in reading, 9% in maths, and 5% in writing, while 4% reached the higher standard across all three subjects. Average scores were 105 in reading and 102 in maths.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a library, playing fields, a forest school, art studios, a sports hall, and a chapel, reflecting its non-religious character. Sports provision covers gymnastics, athletics, netball and cross country, and there are clubs for gardening, drama and book club. The school has a nursery provision for children aged two and above, which is a practical advantage for working parents. For pupils with additional needs, the school provides support for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder, including a resourced provision. This combination of strong academic outcomes relative to the local average, a full range of facilities, and dedicated SEND support makes Mossbourne Herd Lane Academy a solid choice for families in Thurrock seeking a well-subscribed primary school with a clear track record.

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