Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Saffron Walden
Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Saffron Walden. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the highest of the 11 schools in Saffron Walden with published results, and 1st of 14,452 across England. It was 89% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Essex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 100% of Year 6 pupils at Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 100% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 76% in Essex and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 80% in reading and 80% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 12 families put Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School as their first choice and 38 named it as one of their preferences, for 13 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School are Newport Primary School (2.3 miles, Good, 37% reading, 37% maths); Manuden Primary School (2.4 miles, Good, 87% reading, 87% maths); Henham and Ugley Primary and Nursery School (2.6 miles, Good, 85% reading, 85% maths); and Clavering Primary School (2.6 miles, Good, 89% reading, 89% maths).
Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Newport Primary SchoolManuden Primary SchoolHenham and Ugley Primary and Nursery SchoolClavering Primary School
What parents say
21 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (as of September 2025): 81% would recommend the school, 91% say their child is happy there and 67% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (91%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (67%).
Who goes there
4.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (90%) and Mixed (8%).
In 2026, 28 pupils (28.6%) received SEN support and 2 (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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Staffing
Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School had 7 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Elsenham Rail Station, about 2.3 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Potteries (outside), 260 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided 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 August 2026, police recorded 2 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Essex (97).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School issued 13 suspensions, 14.3 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; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; 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 October 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Rickling is a warm, values-driven community school where children learn respect and responsibility whilst achieving well, particularly in reading. The school excels at supporting all learners, including those with SEND, through detailed individual plans and a strong peer mentoring system where older pupils guide younger ones. With a broad curriculum featuring educational visits, workshops and enriching activities, your child will develop both academically and personally while feeling safe and supported.
Key Strengths
- Strong reading programme with rigorous phonics teaching, resulting in many pupils achieving highly by the end of Year 6
- Well-established systems to identify and support pupils with SEND, including detailed daily plans and a 'Let's talk SEND' forum for parents
- Positive school culture based on values of love, respect, responsibility and positivity, with older pupils mentoring younger ones
- Clear behaviour management systems that maintain calm, focused classrooms and resolve issues quickly
- Broad curriculum with enriching activities including educational visits, life skills workshops and cross-school competitions
Areas for Improvement
- Writing support remains underdeveloped across the school, with a mismatch between some writing tasks and pupils' phonics knowledge
- Some pupils, including those with SEND, continue to struggle with writing accurately and with confidence due to unaddressed mistakes
- Early years writing provision needs strengthening to ensure better progression
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with leaders promoting an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first and ensures issues are addressed quickly.
Extracurricular Activities
Expert showcase, book swap, road safety training, bike riding, water safety lessons, Safer Internet Day, Conquering Rickling initiative (plant care, household tasks, cross-school competitions including hockey), educational visits, RunFest
Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School has maintained its good standards since the previous inspection. The school has a strong culture of values-based learning where pupils develop as 'courageous ambassadors' and receive high expectations that support both educational and personal growth.
At a Glance
4.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
21 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 80% to 100% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 80% to 100% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 75% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.5
Avg class size
17.5
Infant (KS1)
31.5
KS2
4
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School.
- Rickling After School ClubAt the school · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided 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
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 0 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Will you get a place at Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided 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 Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 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.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
89%
Available places
93 pupils
105 places
12 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Saffron Walden
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Saffron Walden
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(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
28
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
30.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
98
Total Pupils
55
Boys
43
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
7
Teachers
14.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,052
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,122
Per pupil
£587k
Total funding
£2k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.0%
Overall absence
6.5%
Persistent absence
92
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
What are SATs results like at Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Of the pupils at Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 100% reached the expected standard in reading and 100% did so in maths.
What is Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided 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 Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 89% of its 105 places.
How big are the classes at Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Classes at Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School average 24.5 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 Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School has around 98 pupils on roll. 4% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
4% of sessions were missed at Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School in 2024/25. 6.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Apply through Essex's coordinated admissions process, naming Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided 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.
Does Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Rickling After School Club (registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 0 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is at Rickling Green, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 3YG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)