Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, South Ockendon
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in South Ockendon, part of Christus Catholic Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2016. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 6th-highest of the 8 schools in South Ockendon with published results, and 2,822nd of 14,452 across England. It was 97% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2016)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Thurrock (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School in detail
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School in its own words
The school runs after-school care until 6:00pm, from £16.00 per day.
Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 18 November 2026 at 3.30pm and an open day on Tuesday 24 November 2026 at 3.30pm. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Thurrock
Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 90% of Year 6 pupils at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 83% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 81% and 81% in Thurrock and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 73% in reading and 70% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 22 families put Holy Cross Catholic Primary School as their first choice and 55 named it as one of their preferences, for 22 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Holy Cross Catholic Primary School are Somers Heath Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 89% reading, 87% maths); Shaw Primary Academy (0.3 miles, Good, 88% reading, 89% maths); Dilkes Academy (0.4 miles, Outstanding, 95% reading, 88% maths); and Bonnygate Primary School (0.5 miles, 73% reading, 68% maths).
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Somers Heath Primary SchoolShaw Primary AcademyDilkes AcademyBonnygate Primary School
The trust
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School is one of 7 schools run by Christus Catholic Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 75% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
25.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (67%), Asian (8%) and White British (8%).
In 2026, 21 pupils (9.4%) received SEN support and 25 (11.2%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Ockendon Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Fairham Avenue (southbound), 30 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Holy Cross Catholic Primary School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Holy Cross Catholic Primary School issued 2 suspensions, 0.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Holy Cross Catholic Primary School are Harris Academy Ockendon (0.6 miles), Park Academy (1.2 miles) and Harris Academy Chafford Hundred (1.7 miles).
Harris Academy OckendonPark AcademyHarris Academy Chafford Hundred
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from May 2016, 10 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Holy Cross's values of respect, honesty, tolerance, justice and forgiveness are evident throughout the school. Pupils enjoy coming to school and the range of opportunities that are available. Pupils value the numerous clubs. They talk enthusiastically about the variety of trips and visitors to the school that support them with their learning.
Pupils' behaviour reflects the school values. For instance, pupils demonstrate forgiveness by resolving minor disputes with friends. There are very respectful, strong relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils feel safe and know who to go to if they have a worry. They show tolerance by warmly welcoming new peers, including those who join the school at different times of the year and from overseas. This helps to create a highly inclusive ethos in the school and broadens pupils' understanding of the world.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Leaders have skilfully constructed an ambitious curriculum that caters for their diverse community. Subject leaders have identified the important knowledge and content that they want pupils to learn and remember. They have sequenced this knowledge to support pupils to build on what they already know and can do. With an emphasis on developing oracy, teachers build in a variety of opportunities for pupils to talk about their learning.
Teachers have strong subject knowledge and mostly use assessment effectively. This enables most pupils to make strong progress in a range of subjects. In some instances, teachers do not accurately identify what pupils have learned and, therefore, do not provide the next-step activities to move pupils on in their learning. As a result, some pupils do not make as much progress as they could.
From Ofsted's July 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its May 2016 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
21.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 73% to 90% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 70% to 83% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 77% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.7
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
28.7
KS2
6
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Holy Cross Catholic Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Holy Cross Catholic Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Holy Cross Catholic Primary School is in Thurrock; for families living there:
- Thurrock's school travel policy: Home to school travel and transport policy
- How to apply: apply for school travel support
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 26
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 9
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 26 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 17 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
7 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Thurrock is 12 (the median across 58 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School
Will you get a place at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Holy Cross Catholic Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Holy Cross Catholic Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Holy Cross Catholic Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Thurrock, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School for 2020 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Thurrock got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
97%
Near capacity
203 pupils
210 places
7 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - South Ockendon
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for South Ockendon
Across Thurrock council
Places available
2,543
Applications
2,192
Got 1st preference
90.1%
Got preferred school
97.7%
All primary applications across Thurrock council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(2)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
21
SEN Support
25
EHC Plans
20.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
224
Total Pupils
127
Boys
97
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
18.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,479
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,717
Per pupil
£1308k
Total funding
£61k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.8%
Overall absence
9.1%
Persistent absence
186
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School
Questions parents ask about Holy Cross Catholic Primary School
What are SATs results like at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School?
Of the pupils at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 90% reached the expected standard in reading and 83% did so in maths.
What is Holy Cross Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2016, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Holy Cross Catholic Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Holy Cross Catholic Primary School is oversubscribed, Thurrock allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School?
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School?
Classes at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School average 26.7 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Holy Cross Catholic Primary School?
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School has around 224 pupils on roll. 21% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School?
3.8% of sessions were missed at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School in 2024/25. 9.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Holy Cross Catholic Primary School?
Apply through Thurrock's coordinated admissions process, naming Holy Cross Catholic Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Holy Cross Catholic Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 26 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 17 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 7 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Thurrock is 12 (the median across 58 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Holy Cross Catholic Primary School?
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School is at Daiglen Drive, South Ockendon, Essex, RM15 5RP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)