Highwood Primary School
Loves Green, Highwood, Chelmsford, CM1 3QHOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Highwood Primary School is a primary school in Chelmsford for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 604 schools in Essex. It ranks 43rd of 45 primary schools in Chelmsford. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in November 2022.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 22 November 2022, report published 17 January 2023
- 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 22 November 2022
Pupils enjoy attending Highwood Primary School. They thrive in this small school where pupils and adults all know one another well. The playground is full of smiles and laughter as pupils of all ages play together. Pupils treat each other with care and kindness. Pupils behave well. They know adults expect them to be 'Always Aiming Higher'. These high expectations from adults mean that pupils enact the school's values, such as showing respect and developing independence. The school is a harmonious place. Bullying rarely happens. If it were to happen, pupils know that adults are there to help them. Pupils feel safe in school. The 'worry boxes' in each class mean that pupils have a safe way to ask for help if they need it. Pupils enjoy weekly visits to the school's forest area. The youngest children are encouraged to build their resilience and to take carefully considered risks. Older pupils develop their ability to work in teams, for example working with friends to build dens. Pupils can be elected as 'house captains' and take on extra responsibility. These opportunities help pupils to develop into healthy, active and responsible members of the community.
What the school should improve
- A small number of weaker readers have not received the precise support they need to help them catch up quickly. They do not read fluently. Leaders should ensure that teachers fully implement the new phonics programme to provide effective support for these pupils who need extra help in learning to read.
- Assessment practices in some subjects are newly developed. Leaders do not yet have a clear oversight of how well pupils learn in these subjects. They do not always have the information they need to identify further refinement they may need to make to the curriculum. Leaders should ensure they complete the work they have started to improve the assessment processes in order to help them have a clear view of how well pupils in school are learning.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
8 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
66 pupils on roll, with places for 70
Schools near Highwood Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margaretting Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | 80% met the expected standard |
| Writtle Junior School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Writtle Infant School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Ingatestone Infant School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Ingatestone and Fryerning Church of England Junior School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | 71% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Community school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 4 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Mrs Marie Staley
- Phone
- 01245248200
- Address
- Loves Green, Highwood, Chelmsford, CM1 3QH
- Local authority
- Essex
- URN
- 114869
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.