Stifford Clays Primary School

About Stifford Clays Primary School

Stifford Clays Primary School in Thurrock holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, and the detail behind that grade tells a more nuanced story. The school was rated Outstanding for personal development, a standout category that reflects how well it supports pupils’ character and wellbeing. In the core academic measure of Key Stage 2, 71% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is above the Thurrock local authority average of 67%. That places the school 17th out of 39 primary schools in the area, putting it comfortably in the top half of local provision. Nationally, it ranks in the 29th percentile, meaning it performs better than roughly three in ten schools across England. The school’s average scaled scores in reading (105) and maths (106) are both slightly above the national benchmark of 100, and 8% of pupils achieved the higher standard across all three subjects.

Digging into the subject-level results, 82% of pupils reached the expected standard in writing, the strongest of the three core subjects, while maths followed closely at 81% and reading at 79%. The higher-standard figures show a similar pattern: 26% of pupils achieved greater depth in reading, 23% in maths, and 13% in writing. The school’s overall ranking score of 71 is based on the combined expected standard metric, and while it is not among the top performers in Thurrock — the nearest Outstanding school, Quarry Hill Academy, sits 1.9 km away — it is a solid, above-average option for families. The Ofsted breakdown also shows consistency: leadership and management, behaviour and attitudes, quality of education, and early years provision were all rated Good, matching the previous inspection in 2016. No progress scores are available for reading, writing or maths, so it is not possible to assess how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points.

The school is significantly oversubscribed: for 60 places in the 2025/26 intake, there were 117 total applications and 59 first-preference applications, with 58 first-preference offers made. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 1.95, so getting a place is competitive. Stifford Clays is a large primary with 653 pupils against a capacity of 742, and it offers nursery provision for children from age 2. Facilities are broad for a state primary, including a sports hall, playing fields, a forest school, a sensory room, and even a chapel. The SEND provision is extensive, covering eight categories from dyslexia to autistic spectrum disorder, plus a resourced provision. Clubs range from science and coding to gardening and film club, and sports include football, tennis, cricket and swimming. This is a school that suits families looking for a well-resourced, inclusive primary with strong personal development and academic results that beat the local average, though they will need to apply early given the high demand.

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