Moulsham Junior School

About Moulsham Junior School

Moulsham Junior School sits in an interesting position compared with the Essex local authority average for Key Stage 2. The LA average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined is 62 per cent, while Moulsham’s figure is 58 per cent — four points below the county norm. That places the school 243rd out of 444 primary schools in Essex, putting it in the bottom half of the LA ranking. However, the picture is more nuanced when you look at individual subjects. In reading, 82 per cent of pupils met the expected standard, well above the national benchmark, and the average reading score of 106 is strong. Maths tells a different story: only 65 per cent reached the expected level, and the average maths score of 103 is more modest. The school’s overall ranking of 30th out of 41 schools in Chelmsford reflects this mixed performance, and its national percentile of 61 per cent places it just above the midpoint of all primary schools in England.

Ofsted visited in November 2023 and confirmed the school remains Good, an upgrade from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2018. The inspection report highlighted Good leadership and management, and the school has held a Good overall effectiveness grade across both its most recent graded and ungraded inspections. At the higher standard — working at greater depth — the numbers are low: just 6 per cent achieved the higher threshold in reading, writing and maths combined, and only 7 per cent in writing alone. Reading again stands out, with 33 per cent reaching the higher standard, compared with 23 per cent in maths. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it is hard to say how much value the school adds from Year 3 entry. The school is oversubscribed in terms of its 720-capacity, with 685 pupils on roll, suggesting local demand remains steady despite the middling headline results.

The school offers a broad range of facilities for a junior school, including a sports hall, gymnasium, ICT suite, art studios, music rooms and a forest school area. Sports provision covers gymnastics, dance, football, tennis and cricket, and there are clubs for drama, eco activities, art and choir. SEND support is well-documented, with provisions for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language difficulties, hearing impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Oaklands Infant School, just half a kilometre away, which may influence feeder patterns. Moulsham Junior School is a non-denominational state primary for mixed pupils aged 7 to 11, with no nursery or sixth form. It will suit families in Chelmsford who value a stable Good-rated school with strong reading outcomes and a wide range of facilities, but who are comfortable with maths results that trail the local average.

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