St Margaret's Church of England Academy, Bowers Gifford
About St Margaret's Church of England Academy, Bowers Gifford
St Margaret's Church of England Academy in Bowers Gifford is a state primary for children aged 2 to 11, currently home to 192 pupils against a capacity of 210. That leaves a small amount of headroom, but the school is clearly in demand: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 34 applications for 24 places, with 23 of those coming as first preferences. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 21.7%, which is notably above the national average for primary schools and suggests the school serves a community with above-average levels of disadvantage. As a Church of England school in the Essex local authority area, it has a religious character that may appeal to local families, though the data doesn't indicate whether this affects admissions criteria. The school also offers nursery provision, meaning it can take children from age two, which is a practical advantage for working parents in the Basildon area.
Key Details
The full report on this school
What 21 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
24 Sept 2024From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.
Source: Ofsted, 16 Oct 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
9Sports
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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