Harwich Community Primary School and Nursery
Harwich, CO12 3NS · Essex · primary school
Check the area around this school
322nd of 391 primary schools in Essex we can score, 444 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 2.4/10 against 1,564 of them, against 2.2/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expected standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 31.0 · 3 | 40% | 0.13 |
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.82 |
| Higher standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 7.0 · 51 | 25% | 1.27 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Harwich Community Primary School and Nursery overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 31.0% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, compared to the national median of 64%. The higher standard was reached by 7.0% of pupils, matching the national median of 7%. Its results are much the same when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds, so the gap is not explained by intake (2.4 out of 10 against similar schools, 2.2 out of 10 against all schools). Ofsted rated the school Good in November 2023.
Getting in
The published school roll is 222 pupils against a stated capacity of 270. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils who are below the expected standard in literacy? What specific strategies are used to raise attainment in maths? How does the school maintain its Good Ofsted rating while addressing the gap in core subject results?
What Ofsted said about Harwich Community Primary School and Nursery
Overview
Harwich Community Primary School and Nursery is described as a “nurturing school” where “many pupils are happy.” The report highlights a curriculum that is generally well-designed to build knowledge over time, supported by staff who are “well trained” and ambitious for pupils. While the school maintains high expectations for behaviour and attendance, there are inconsistencies in how the curriculum is structured and monitored across all subjects.
Strengths
- Pupils are motivated by “carefully considered incentives” such as ‘Attendance Ted’ and ‘Flamingo Bingo’, leading to frequent attendance.
- Staff use “careful checks on learning” to identify gaps and support pupils, particularly in early years and reading.
- The school identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) “with precision” and provides focused interventions.
- Pupils behave well, following rules to be “safe, responsible and kind,” and take pride in roles like prefects and diversity champions.
- Leaders ensure staff manage their workload and well-being, and the school “successfully engages with the parental community.”
Areas to improve
- In some subjects, the school has not “precisely identified the most important knowledge and vocabulary,” meaning lessons do not always build on prior learning.
- Monitoring of pupil learning from Nursery to Year 6 is “less well developed” in some curriculum areas, limiting the school’s ability to make necessary improvements.
Safeguarding
The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”
Results over time
Expected standard (reading, writing, maths), the years we hold.
| Year | Expected standard (reading, writing, maths) |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 30% |
| 2023/24 | 30% |
| 2024/25 | 31% |
| England | 64% |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 14,326 state schools in England we hold a 2024/25 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2027
- Primary National Offer Day16 Apr 2027
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2028
- Primary National Offer Day17 Apr 2028
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