St Margaret's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Toppesfield
Church Lane, Toppesfield, Halstead, CO9 4DSOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St Margaret's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Toppesfield is a primary school in Halstead for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 604 schools in Essex. It ranks 355th of 387 primary schools in Essex. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in November 2022.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 8 November 2022, report published 16 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 8 November 2022
St Margaret's is a calm and happy place. Pupils enjoy coming to school. They feel safe and say that the staff know them very well. Pupils are proud to be part of this small school. They like that they know everyone and that everyone is kind and caring. Pupils say that bullying happens rarely and that staff deal with this quickly. Staff are ambitious for all pupils. Pupils enjoy a varied curriculum, including learning music, computing and physical education (PE) with teachers from across the school. Pupils achieve well and learn about other cultures and diversity, preparing them for the wider world. Pupils behave well and have a focused attitude to learning. Pupils respond well to staff's high expectations of behaviour. There are clear routines in place and pupils move calmly around the school. Pupils can be energetic, but they know when they need to be sensible and when they can be playful. There is a culture of positivity, reminders and rewards that encourages good behaviour. Pupils are inquisitive and are confident to be themselves. Staff foster pupils' personalities and celebrate that everyone is unique. Pupils benefit from the strong pastoral support that the school offers.
What the school should improve
- In a few subjects, teachers do not identify and address pupils' misconceptions quickly. This means that some pupils are less secure in learning some important subject knowledge. Leaders must ensure that staff use their checks on pupils' learning to identify and address pupils' misconceptions in all subjects in a timely fashion.
- Leaders provide a limited amount of extra-curricular activities. Pupils are not currently engaging with experiences that develop their talents and interests. School Toppesfield 3 Leaders must ensure that they provide more opportunities for pupils to develop their interests.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
7 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
63 pupils on roll, with places for 98
Schools near St Margaret's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Toppesfield
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Great Yeldham | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 87% met the expected standard |
| Ridgewell Church of England Primary School | 2 miles | Report card: Needs attention to expected standard | 77% met the expected standard |
| de Vere Primary School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | 70% met the expected standard |
| St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Sible Hedingham | 3 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding | 55% met the expected standard |
| Wethersfield CofE VC Primary School | 4 miles | Ofsted: Good | 88% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Voluntary controlled school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 4 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Mrs Stephanie Newland
- Phone
- 01787237354
- Address
- Church Lane, Toppesfield, Halstead, CO9 4DS
- Local authority
- Essex
- URN
- 115071
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.