Lift Hamford, Walton on the Naze
Lift Hamford is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Walton on the Naze, part of Lift Schools. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2022. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 272nd-highest of the 388 schools in Essex with published results, and 9,595th of 14,452 across England. It was 87% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
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
Lift Hamford in detail
Lift Hamford in its own words
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 70% of Year 6 pupils at Lift Hamford reached the expected standard in reading and 74% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 76% in Essex and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 83% in reading and 87% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Lift Hamford
For September 2026 entry, 38 families put Lift Hamford as their first choice and 74 named it as one of their preferences, for 47 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Lift Hamford are Frinton-on-Sea Primary School (0.7 miles, 60% reading, 67% maths); Kirby Primary Academy (1.2 miles, Good, 80% reading, 73% maths); Walton on the Naze Primary School (1.2 miles, Good, 67% reading, 71% maths); and Holland Haven Primary School (3.6 miles, Good, 73% reading, 77% maths).
Lift Hamford's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Frinton-on-Sea Primary SchoolKirby Primary AcademyWalton on the Naze Primary SchoolHolland Haven Primary School
The trust
Lift Hamford is one of 62 schools run by Lift Schools, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 79% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
2.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (89%) and Mixed (5%).
Lift Hamford has a resourced provision (8 places, 5 pupils on roll) and a SEN unit (8 places, 5 pupils on roll) for autism.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Frinton-on-Sea Rail Station, about 970 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Ashes Corner (s-bound), 220 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 55 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).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Lift Hamford issued 12 suspensions, 3.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
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
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its November 2022 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
30.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision and SEN unit: Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 83% to 70% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 87% to 74% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 77% to 67% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.3
Avg class size
25.2
Infant (KS1)
27.9
KS2
16
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Lift Hamford
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Lift Hamford from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Lift Hamford 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
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 1 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
2 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 Lift Hamford
Will you get a place at Lift Hamford? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Lift Hamford's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Lift Hamford:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Lift Hamford.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Essex, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Lift Hamford for 2014 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.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
87%
Available places
367 pupils
420 places
53 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Walton on the Naze
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Walton on the Naze
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: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
72
SEN Support
13
EHC Plans
21.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Lift Hamford has a resourced provision (8 places, 5 pupils on roll) and a SEN unit (8 places, 5 pupils on roll) for autism.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
393
Total Pupils
208
Boys
185
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
20
Teachers
19.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,999
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,251
Per pupil
£2272k
Total funding
£180k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.2%
Overall absence
18.1%
Persistent absence
354
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
Lift Hamford
Questions parents ask about Lift Hamford
What are SATs results like at Lift Hamford?
Of the pupils at Lift Hamford who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 70% reached the expected standard in reading and 74% did so in maths.
What is Lift Hamford's Ofsted rating?
Lift Hamford was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2022. At its previous graded inspection in 2019 it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Lift Hamford?
No fixed boundary. When Lift Hamford is oversubscribed, Essex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Lift Hamford?
Lift Hamford was not full in 2025: it ran at 87% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at Lift Hamford?
Classes at Lift Hamford average 24.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Lift Hamford?
Lift Hamford has around 393 pupils on roll. 30% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Lift Hamford have specialist SEN provision?
Lift Hamford has a resourced provision (8 places, 5 pupils on roll) and a SEN unit (8 places, 5 pupils on roll) for autism.
What is attendance like at Lift Hamford?
6.2% of sessions were missed at Lift Hamford in 2024/25. 18.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Lift Hamford?
Apply through Essex's coordinated admissions process, naming Lift Hamford 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 Lift Hamford?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 1 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 2 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 Lift Hamford?
Lift Hamford is at Elm Tree Avenue, Walton on the Naze, Essex, CO14 8TE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)