Wentworth Primary School

About Wentworth Primary School

Wentworth Primary School in Maldon is a state-funded mixed primary for children aged 4 to 11, and it is clearly a popular choice among local families. With 440 pupils on roll against a capacity of 445, the school is running almost full. The demand is striking: for the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 170 applications for just 60 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.83. Of those, 81 were first-preference applications, and only 57 first-preference offers were made, meaning a significant number of families who wanted a place here were disappointed. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 14.4%, which is below the national primary average of around 23%, suggesting a relatively less deprived intake than many schools nationally. The school has no religious character and no nursery provision, so children typically join in Reception.

Academically, Wentworth performs well above the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 72% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with an Essex average of 62%. The school ranks 5th out of 17 primary schools in the Maldon local authority area, placing it in the top 25% nationally. Reading and maths average scores were 106 and 107 respectively, both comfortably above the national benchmark of 100. At the higher standard, 12% of pupils achieved greater depth across all three subjects, with 40% reaching that level in maths alone. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in March 2023, confirmed that it remains Good, with leadership and management also rated Good. This is a notable improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2013, when overall effectiveness was Requires Improvement.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including an outdoor playground, dining hall, gymnasium, ICT suite and a chapel. Sports provision covers gymnastics, dance, netball, rounders and cross country, while clubs include art, book club, drama, film club, choir and coding. For families with children who have additional needs, the SEND register is broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate and severe learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing impairment, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder and other difficulties. Given the high oversubscription, families applying here need to be realistic about their chances and should have a strong backup option. This school suits families who value strong academic outcomes in a well-subscribed, community-focused primary with a wide SEND offer and no religious affiliation.

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