Freshwaters Primary Academy, Harlow

From the headteacher's welcome: "Freshwaters Primary Academy was formed on 1st September 2013 for children aged 3 to 11. We are part of BMAT, a multi-academy trust based in the South East. Our school was built in 1990 as an open plan school. We have added a few walls since then and use every bit of space in the school for learning activities."

In 2025, 88% of Year 6 pupils at Freshwaters Primary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 88% 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, 85% in maths).

For September 2026 entry, 48 families put Freshwaters Primary Academy as their first choice and 111 named it as one of their preferences, for 57 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 Freshwaters Primary Academy are The Downs Primary School and Nursery (0.3 miles, Requires improvement, 71% reading, 59% maths); St Alban's Catholic Academy (0.3 miles, Good, 73% reading, 80% maths); Cooks Spinney Primary Academy and Nursery (0.6 miles, Good, 55% reading, 46% maths); and Pemberley Academy (0.8 miles, Good, 70% reading, 67% maths).

Freshwaters Primary Academy's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Freshwaters Primary Academy is one of 12 schools run by Bmat Education, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 56% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

34 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Freshwaters Primary Academy (as of September 2025): 74% would recommend the school, 77% say their child is happy there and 56% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child does well at the school (85%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (56%).

36.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 28.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (49%), Black (14%) and Mixed (8%).

In 2026, 33 pupils (8%) received SEN support and 14 (3.4%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.

The nearest railway station is Harlow Town Rail Station, about 1170 metres away (roughly a 15-minute walk).

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Broadfield (opposite), 140 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 488 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Essex (97), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Freshwaters Primary Academy issued 11 suspensions, 2.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Freshwaters Primary Academy are Burnt Mill Academy (0.3 miles), Bmat Stem Academy (0.3 miles), St Mark's West Essex Catholic School (0.6 miles) and Sir Frederick Gibberd College (0.9 miles).