R J Mitchell Primary School, Hornchurch

Ofsted's report card from its 24 March 2026 inspection grades R J Mitchell Primary School on 7 areas: 1 strong standard, 4 expected standard and 2 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Inclusion is a real strength of the school's provision."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders are determined that pupils will succeed, and staff share their high ambitions for all pupils, including those with additional needs."

Early years - Expected standard. "The early years curriculum is thoughtfully designed and clearly sequenced."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Following a period of change, leaders have a clear and purposeful focus and direction."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have created a well-thought-out programme for pupils' personal development that enhances their learning and broadens their experiences."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils typically develop secure skills and knowledge in reading and mathematics, which they need to access their future learning as they progress through the school."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Leaders place high importance on pupils' attendance and punctuality."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that pupils' skills in early writing, including pencil grip, letter formation, spelling and punctuation, are consistently and securely developed so that pupils develop their writing fluency across the curriculum and achieve stronger outcomes"; "Leaders should ensure teaching builds more consistently on pupils' prior knowledge and understanding so that pupils are equipped to tackle more complex aspects of the curriculum and be better placed to achieve stronger outcomes"; "Leaders should continue their work to improve attendance and reduce persistent absence across the school, for all groups including children in the early years".

In its own words: "The Aspire Learning Federation is made up of two schools - Elm Park Primary School and R J Mitchell Primary School in the London Borough of Havering."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, dance, choir, STEM and cooking.

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care.

Coming up: an open day on Tuesday 10 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2025, 60% of Year 6 pupils at R J Mitchell Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 60% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 78% in Havering and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 63% in reading and 67% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 12 families put R J Mitchell Primary School as their first choice and 60 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 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 R J Mitchell Primary School are St Alban's Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 97% reading, 100% maths); Scotts Primary School (0.4 miles, Outstanding, 93% reading, 93% maths); Elm Park Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 70% reading, 67% maths); and Scargill Junior School (0.6 miles, Good, 88% reading, 82% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than R J Mitchell Primary School.

108 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about R J Mitchell Primary School (as of April 2026): 81% would recommend the school, 86% say their child is happy there and 88% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (88%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (72%).

30.6% 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 (16%) and Asian (10%).

In 2026, 44 pupils (16.4%) received SEN support and 63 (23.5%) 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.

R J Mitchell Primary School has a SEN unit for autism: 50 places, 50 pupils on roll.

R J Mitchell Primary School had 25 teachers in 2026, one for every 11 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest tram or metro stop is Elm Park Station, about 950 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Gosport Drive, 170 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood R J Mitchell 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 2024/25, R J Mitchell Primary School issued 6 suspensions, 2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to R J Mitchell Primary School are Sanders Draper (0.7 miles), The Brittons Academy (0.8 miles), Abbs Cross Academy and Arts College (0.8 miles) and Hornchurch High School (1.2 miles).