Elsenham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Bishop's Stortford

From the headteacher's welcome: "At Elsenham, we believe that everybody is somebody. We are proud to be a happy, welcoming and ambitious school where children are known as individuals, staff are passionate about what they do and our whole community works together to help every child flourish."

Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 11 November 2026 at 9.30am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2025, 89% of Year 6 pupils at Elsenham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 93% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 76% in Essex and 77% and 75% across England.

Results were similar in 2024 (87% in reading, 95% in maths).

For September 2026 entry, 56 families put Elsenham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School as their first choice and 94 named it as one of their preferences, for 58 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Elsenham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School are Henham and Ugley Primary and Nursery School (1.2 miles, Good, 85% reading, 85% maths); Magna Carta Primary Academy (1.7 miles, Good, 79% reading, 69% maths); Bentfield Primary School and Nursery (1.8 miles, Good, 75% reading, 79% maths); and St Mary's CofE Foundation Primary School (2 miles, Good, 80% reading, 85% maths).

Elsenham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.

100 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Elsenham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School (as of September 2025): 95% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 77% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (77%).

9.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (74%) and Mixed (6%).

In 2026, 40 pupils (9.9%) received SEN support and 11 (2.7%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Elsenham Rail Station, about 830 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Crown (opposite), 80 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Elsenham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 24 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Essex (97).

In 2024/25, Elsenham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School issued 14 suspensions, 3.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.