Potter Street Academy

  • Primary
  • Academy
  • Ages 5 to 11
Ofsted: Good

Carters Mead, Harlow, CM17 9EUOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Potter Street Academy is a primary school in Harlow for ages 5 to 11. It is one of the 604 schools in Essex. It ranks 7th of 30 primary schools in Harlow. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in June 2019.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 25 June 2019, report published 18 July 2019

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Early years provision
Good
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 12 November 2024

Pupils are proud of their school, where 'everyone is welcomed.' They settle quickly in the Reception class and when they are new to the school. They feel safe and happy. Staff listen to pupils and help them if they have any worries. Pupils know and use the five ways of well-being to take care of themselves. Pupils learn how to behave well and follow the school's values. This makes the school a calm and well-ordered place to be. There are high expectations for all pupils' achievement. Pupils relish being challenged. Some would appreciate more frequent opportunities to deepen their learning further. Pupils readily take on the many responsibilities to help each other and look after the school. They vote for team captains, reading ambassadors and 'happiness heroes'. Pupils attend clubs including art, football, choir and cheerleading. Pupils can have many experiences that they might not otherwise have. They love the visits to places of worship, museums, to see a Shakespeare play and singing at the O2. The school works closely with families, ensuring they receive valuable support from specialists in the community, when necessary. This helps ensure that pupils are supported at each stage of their education, from before they join the school and beyond.

What the school should improve

  • Recent changes to some areas of the curriculum, and to how teachers check on pupils' learning, are not yet fully established. This impacts on the learning of some pupils, as sometimes teaching does not deepen their understanding. The school should ensure that all pupils have consistent opportunities to deepen their learning when they are ready to do so, enabling them to attain highly.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

31 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths71%

71%, 9 percentage points above the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths13%

13%, 5 percentage points above the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score108

108, 2 above the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score105

105, the same as the England average.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score109

109, 4 above the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

202 pupils on roll, with places for 251

Eligible for free school meals32.7%

32.7%, 6.2 percentage points above the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language19.3%

19.3%, 2.3 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support22.8%

22.8%, 8 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan8.4%

8.4%, 2.4 percentage points above the England average of 6%.

Schools near Potter Street Academy

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow0.4 milesOfsted: Good67% met the expected standard
Purford Green Primary School0.5 milesOfsted: Good72% met the expected standard
Pear Tree Mead Academy0.6 milesOfsted: Good62% met the expected standard
Henry Moore Primary School0.6 milesOfsted: Good78% met the expected standard
Church Langley Community Primary School0.7 milesOfsted: Good73% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Academy sponsor led
Sector
Academy
Trust
THE PASSMORES CO-OPERATIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY
Age range
5 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Nursery classes
No
Headteacher
Mr Neil Gladwin
Address
Carters Mead, Harlow, CM17 9EU
Local authority
Essex
URN
139802

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.