Friars Primary School and Nursery
Constable Way, Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea, SS3 9XXOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Friars Primary School and Nursery is a primary school in Southend-on-Sea for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 59 schools in Southend-on-Sea. It ranks 9th of 15 primary schools in Southend-on-Sea. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in December 2014.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 4 December 2014, report published 9 January 2015
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 10 December 2024
Pupils speak highly of their experiences at school. This is because staff go to great lengths to give pupils cherished childhood memories. Staff have a knack for seeing the world through a child's eyes. Hence, the school environment is alive with vibrant displays to stimulate interest. The outdoor space has trails, a hobbit hut and man-made bridges to capture pupils' imaginations. Pupils make full use of the school grounds and the outdoor equipment during social times. Pupils rise to staff's ambitious expectations. They are eager to learn and show off their knowledge in their lessons, for instance, with their twelve times tables. Pupils are happy to have a go at doing more complex work. They fully appreciate the wider opportunities they have in the curriculum. The school runs many visits, workshops and clubs. The recent pop-up swimming pool was a big hit. Pupils behave well. Children in Nursery learn the school's routines, such as taking turns to speak, in readiness for later learning. Pupils support each other very well. They eagerly contribute to the school community, such as reading to younger pupils, looking after the environment, and growing vegetables to eat.
What the school should improve
- There are not sufficient opportunities in the curriculum for younger writers to practise their early writing skills. This means that pupils in key stage 1 find it difficult to perfect their handwriting and develop the stamina they need for writing in key stage 2. The school should review this element of the curriculum, ensuring pupils have more practice with letter formation and transcription, so they develop secure writing skills before moving onto lengthier tasks.
- Some pupils do not attend school as often as they should. This means they miss out on learning aspects of the curriculum as well as the socialisation and experiences that school brings. The school should continue to implement its plans to remove the barriers to attendance that some pupils have.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
56 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
429 pupils on roll, with places for 472
Schools near Friars Primary School and Nursery
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| St George's Catholic Primary School | 0.4 miles | Ofsted: Good | 77% met the expected standard |
| Hinguar Community Primary School | 0.7 miles | Ofsted: Good | 76% met the expected standard |
| Richmond Avenue Primary and Nursery School | 0.9 miles | Ofsted: Good | 60% met the expected standard |
| Great Wakering Primary Academy | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 40% met the expected standard |
| Thorpedene Primary School & Nursery | 1 mile | Ofsted judgements: Requires improvement to good | 37% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- PORTICO ACADEMY TRUST
- Age range
- 3 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr Christopher McClay
- Phone
- 01702294837
- Address
- Constable Way, Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea, SS3 9XX
- Local authority
- Southend-on-Sea
- URN
- 143334
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.