Ford End Church of England Primary School
Main Road, Ford End, Chelmsford, CM3 1LQOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Ford End Church of England Primary School is a primary school in Chelmsford for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 604 schools in Essex. It ranks 25th of 45 primary schools in Chelmsford. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 15 November 2023, report published 18 January 2024
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 15 November 2023
Pupils at Ford End love their school. They talk about it being 'one big family'. Pupils of all ages like playing different games together at breaktime. They like the wide range of clubs available to them. Children in the early years settle in quickly. Older pupils look out for them at lunchtime and playtime. Pupils talk positively about sharing books with reading buddies across the school. Pupils behave well and are rarely distracted from learning. They feel safe. Pupils enjoy their education. They want to learn, and they work hard. They value the different experiences that enhance their education, for example taking part in a 'mythical beasts day' with other schools that they work closely with. As a result of regular activities with these schools, pupils feel part of a larger group. An example of a typical pupil comment is: 'I like how the LIFE schools come together, bring out our confidence to meet others and make friends.' Pupils take on a wide range of responsibilities. The members of the school council organise assemblies about issues that are important to them. For example, they brought the whole school together to consider how they could reduce food waste.
What the school should improve
- The order in which pupils are taught writing skills and understanding of different genres is not always coherent. This means that sometimes pupils learn about one technique and then move on to another before they have had the chance to practise it in their writing. The school needs to ensure that the teaching of writing enables pupils to build up their writing skills effectively over time.
- Too many older pupils do not have age-appropriate joined handwriting. Too many younger pupils place their letters incorrectly in relation to the line. This means that pupils are not developing strong, fluent skills to help them complete written work quickly and accurately. The school needs to ensure that pupils are taught to handwrite correctly.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
11 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
47 pupils on roll, with places for 84
Schools near Ford End Church of England Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Waltham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | 54% met the expected standard |
| The Flitch Green Academy | 3 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good | 38% met the expected standard |
| Felsted Primary School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | 67% met the expected standard |
| Little Waltham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | 70% met the expected standard |
| Great Leighs Primary School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | 52% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- LIFE EDUCATION TRUST
- Age range
- 4 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Mrs Sarah Tate
- Phone
- 01245237209
- Address
- Main Road, Ford End, Chelmsford, CM3 1LQ
- Local authority
- Essex
- URN
- 148210
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.