Larchwood Primary School, Brentwood
Larchwood Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Brentwood, part of Discovery Educational Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 9th-highest of the 17 schools in Brentwood with published results, and 5,071st of 14,452 across England. It was 98% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Essex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Larchwood Primary School in detail
Larchwood Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "We are extremely proud that we are a community school and as such our approach is very welcoming. I promote an open door policy and parents can expect to see me in and around the school on a daily basis. Our children deserve the very best of education and it's my job to ensure this is delivered at Larchwood."
The school runs a breakfast club.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils at Larchwood Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 85% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 76% in Essex and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 65% in reading and 68% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Larchwood Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 48 families put Larchwood Primary School as their first choice and 143 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 2 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Larchwood Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Larchwood Primary School are St Helen's Catholic Infant & Nursery School (0.8 miles, Good); St Helen's Catholic Junior School (0.8 miles, Good, 88% reading, 87% maths); St Thomas of Canterbury Church of England Aided Primary School, Brentwood (1 mile, Good, 82% reading, 78% maths); and Bentley St Paul's Church of England Primary School (1.3 miles, 80% reading, 77% maths).
Larchwood Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
St Helen's Catholic Infant & Nursery SchoolSt Helen's Catholic Junior SchoolSt Thomas of Canterbury Church of England Aided Primary School, BrentwoodBentley St Paul's Church of England Primary School
The trust
Larchwood Primary School is one of 5 schools run by Discovery Educational Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
10% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (76%), Mixed (7%) and Asian (5%).
In 2026, 47 pupils (11.2%) received SEN support and 10 (2.4%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Brentwood Rail Station, about 1.6 miles away in a straight line.
17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is King Georges Road (opposite), 80 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Larchwood Primary School issued 12 suspensions, 2.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Larchwood Primary School are Becket Keys Church of England Free School (0.9 miles), Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School (1.4 miles), Brentwood County High School (1.6 miles) and Shenfield High School (1.8 miles).
Becket Keys Church of England Free SchoolBrentwood Ursuline Convent High SchoolBrentwood County High SchoolShenfield High School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils enjoy attending this happy and welcoming school. Staff expect pupils to work hard and they do. They know why 'achievement and enjoyment' are important goals. The ethos of the school shines through as pupils model their six school values. This helps to prepare pupils well for their next stage of learning.
Pupils are kind and respect each other. They freely share their views and opinions. For example, when discussing different religious beliefs. Pupils know staff will listen to and value them. This helps them to feel safe.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has refined the curriculum over recent years. They have identified the important knowledge pupils need to learn and understand. This is set into a logical order. The school expects pupils to apply their knowledge to increasingly complex learning. Pupils do this appropriately in many subjects. For example, pupils learn about influential artists before securing their understanding of different sketching techniques. This helps pupils to create high quality artwork. However, occasionally staff expect pupils to complete complex tasks before they have the prior knowledge they need. When this happens, pupils have misconceptions and do not understand important content as well as they could.
Children make a flying start in the Reception classes. This is because staff are experts at identifying and supporting their needs. Children learn the routines and expectations of school quickly. They listen and concentrate exceptionally well when learning to read and write. Interactions between children are of an incredibly high quality. They are kind and happily take turns such as when choosing their favourite snack from the fruit bowl.
From Ofsted's July 2024 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 July 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Personal development, Early years.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
19.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 65% to 78% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 68% to 85% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 78% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.8
Avg class size
29.3
Infant (KS1)
30.3
KS2
12
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Larchwood Primary School
News and Views 02.10.26
2 Oct 2026
News and Views 25.09.26
25 Sep 2026
News and Views 18.09.26
18 Sep 2026
News and Views 11.09.26
11 Sep 2026
News and Views 04.09.26
4 Sep 2026
News and Views 17.07.26
17 Jul 2026
From Larchwood Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Larchwood Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Larchwood Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Larchwood Primary School is in Essex; for families living there:
- Essex's school travel policy: Education Transport Policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 4 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt.
1 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 Essex is 9 (the median across 614 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 Larchwood Primary School
Will you get a place at Larchwood Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Larchwood Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Larchwood Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Larchwood Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Essex, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Larchwood Primary School for 2015 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Essex 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
98%
Near capacity
413 pupils
420 places
7 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Brentwood
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Brentwood
Across Essex council
Places available
17,932
Applications
15,737
Got 1st preference
90.3%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All primary applications across Essex council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(3)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
47
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
13.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
420
Total Pupils
223
Boys
197
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
22
Teachers
19.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,281
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,955
Per pupil
£2340k
Total funding
£129k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.2%
Overall absence
12.1%
Persistent absence
373
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
Questions parents ask about Larchwood Primary School
What are SATs results like at Larchwood Primary School?
Of the pupils at Larchwood Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 78% reached the expected standard in reading and 85% did so in maths.
What is Larchwood Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Larchwood Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2017 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Larchwood Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Larchwood Primary School is oversubscribed, Essex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Larchwood Primary School?
Larchwood Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Larchwood Primary School?
Classes at Larchwood Primary School average 29.8 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Larchwood Primary School?
Larchwood Primary School has around 420 pupils on roll. 19% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Larchwood Primary School?
5.2% of sessions were missed at Larchwood Primary School in 2024/25. 12.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Larchwood Primary School?
Apply through Essex's coordinated admissions process, naming Larchwood 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 Larchwood Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 4 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt. 1 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 Essex is 9 (the median across 614 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Larchwood Primary School?
Larchwood Primary School is at Larchwood Gardens, Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood, Essex, CM15 9NG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)