Stebbing Primary School

About Stebbing Primary School

Stebbing Primary School is a mixed state primary in Uttlesford, Essex, currently home to 191 pupils against a capacity of 210, meaning it runs with around 91% occupancy. Its intake reflects a slightly higher-than-average level of disadvantage for the area: 14.7% of pupils qualify for free school meals, compared with a national primary average of roughly 23%. The school is clearly in demand — for the 2025/26 admissions round, it received 63 applications for just 27 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.33. Of those, 24 were first-preference offers, matching exactly the number of first-preference applications, which suggests that while the school is popular, almost every family who put it first secured a spot. Headteacher Lucy Heys leads a school that has held a Good Ofsted rating since its last graded inspection in 2013, with a subsequent ungraded visit in 2022 confirming it remains Good.

Academically, Stebbing’s Key Stage 2 results for 2023/24 show a mixed picture. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined was 45%, well below the local authority average of 62% and placing the school 31st out of 34 primary schools in Uttlesford — in the bottom tier locally. Individually, maths and writing both saw 70% of pupils hit the expected standard, with reading slightly lower at 65%. At the higher standard, the figures are modest: 15% in reading, 15% in writing, and 10% in maths. Average scaled scores were 103 in both reading and maths, exactly in line with the national average of 100. The school’s previous Ofsted inspection in 2009 rated it Outstanding overall, but the most recent graded inspection in 2013 downgraded it to Good, where it has remained since.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a library, art studios, a dining hall, a gymnasium, a sensory room, and a Forest School programme. Sports provision covers cricket, gymnastics, netball, athletics, rounders and tennis, while clubs include Eco Club, Drama, Chess and Film Club. SEND support is well-documented, with provisions for specific learning difficulties (including dyslexia), moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. Stebbing is a Church of England school with a chapel on site, though its religious character is listed as ‘Does not apply’. It does not offer nursery provision or a sixth form. For families seeking a village primary with strong demand, a Good Ofsted rating, and a broad set of extracurriculars, Stebbing is a realistic option — though those prioritising top-tier KS2 outcomes may want to look at higher-performing peers in the Uttlesford area.

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