Howbridge Infant School
Dengie Close, Witham, CM8 1DJOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Howbridge Infant School is a primary school in Witham for ages 5 to 7. It is one of the 604 schools in Essex. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in April 2023.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 25 April 2023, report published 15 June 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 25 April 2023
This happy, inclusive school ensures a friendly welcome for everyone. Pupils are safe. They trust the adults to help and care for them. Pupils are kind and respectful to each other. Breaktimes are energetic and fun. Pupils play together with lots of equipment and enjoy running games. There are quieter areas for younger children and those who prefer to chat or draw. Bullying happens rarely, and pupils are confident that adults stop it straight away. Leaders provide a wide range of lunchtime clubs for pupils in Years 1 and 2. All pupils attend enthusiastically. These clubs give pupils an opportunity to develop their interests with crafts and 'Lego' or to try new things such as French or ballet. In the summer term, taster clubs help younger children have the confidence to join in. Pupils know the rules and routines to keep during lessons and around the school. They say that these are fair and mean that everyone can get on with their learning. Pupils share the ambition of their teachers to do well with their learning. They keep trying, even when things are tricky. From the early years, children show great pride and pleasure in their work.
What the school should improve
- In a few subjects, leaders have not specified clearly enough the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn as they move through the school. As a result, teachers do not always know what knowledge they should check that understand securely. Some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge. Leaders should ensure that all curriculum plans set out clearly what knowledge is to be learned so that teachers know what to check to make sure that pupils are remembering important knowledge over time.
- Leaders have chosen teams of teachers to lead some subjects. However, some subject leaders do not monitor and evaluate the impact of the curriculum on pupils' learning effectively. Leaders do not know if the curriculum in some subjects supports pupils to learn successfully. Leaders need to develop a more systematic and rigorous approach to check that the curriculum and its delivery in all subjects support pupils to achieve well.
Pupil numbers and mix
265 pupils on roll, with places for 270
Schools near Howbridge Infant School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howbridge Church of England Junior School | 0.1 miles | Ofsted: Good | 51% met the expected standard |
| Holy Family Catholic Primary School | 0.1 miles | Ofsted: Good | 70% met the expected standard |
| Chipping Hill Primary School | 0.4 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding | 67% met the expected standard |
| Acorn Infant Academy | 1 mile | Ofsted judgements: Good | Not published |
| Witham Oaks Academy | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 72% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Foundation school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 5 to 7
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Ms Anna Conley
- Phone
- 01376512153
- Address
- Dengie Close, Witham, CM8 1DJ
- Local authority
- Essex
- URN
- 114951
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.