Purford Green Primary School
About Purford Green Primary School
Purford Green Primary School sits within the Essex local authority, a large county with 444 primary schools, and it has carved out a solid reputation in the Harlow area. Ranked 4th out of 28 primary schools in Harlow, it places comfortably in the top 25% of schools locally. For context, the top-performing peers in the wider Essex area include St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School in Colchester and Stambridge Primary School, both of which achieved perfect ranking scores, alongside Great Totham Primary School with a score of 95. While Purford Green doesn't reach those heights, its position is respectable, and it stands as a strong option for families in Harlow. The school is led by headteacher Rachel Thomson and serves 227 pupils, just shy of its capacity of 234, indicating it is a well-utilised local resource. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2024 confirmed a Good rating, with leadership and management, early years provision, and overall effectiveness all judged Good, a clear improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2012.
Key Details
The full report on this school
What 30 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
27 Nov 2024Latest monitoring visit (27 Nov 2024): Standards maintained
Source: Ofsted, 23 Jun 2015. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
5Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
12Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
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