St John's RC School (Essex), Woodford Bridge
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 5 months agoReport card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
St John's excels at understanding each child as an individual and providing tailored support that helps them feel safe and ready to learn. The school has an exceptional therapeutic team and pastoral care approach that teaches pupils to understand and manage their emotions effectively. Staff work closely with families and use personalised strategies including visual supports and consistent approaches to help every pupil progress and develop independence.
Key Strengths
- Excellent pastoral care with a dedicated therapy team that supports pupils' emotional wellbeing and independence
- Strong attendance approach with personalised plans and close family engagement that has notably improved attendance
- Calm and positive school environment with consistent high expectations, resulting in excellent behaviour
- Well-designed curriculum personalised to each pupil's education, health and care plan
- Effective safeguarding with an open culture where concerns are actively identified and managed
Areas for Improvement
- Leaders are working to improve the progression of knowledge and skills across all areas of the wider curriculum beyond core subjects
- Further development needed to ensure pupils apply their learning consistently in meaningful ways across all curriculum areas
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - the school has established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and all legal requirements are fulfilled.
Extracurricular Activities
Work-based experiences, community activities, work-related learning
St John's RC School is a special education school that provides personalised learning for pupils with complex needs. The school creates a calm, purposeful environment where pupils feel safe and supported to thrive.
At a Glance
35.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SLCN - Speech, language and Communication, MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty, SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
0.0
Avg class size
0
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
102%
Over capacity
102 pupils
100 capacity
2 places over capacity
Area Demand Pressure - Woodford Bridge
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Woodford Bridge
Admissions Demand - Essex
Places available
17,576
Applications
16,788
Got 1st preference
83.8%
Got preferred school
97.1%
Secondary admissions across Essex (2025/26)
Inspection History(7)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Pupil Absence2024/25
11.21918%
Overall absence
33.33333%
Persistent absence
72
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
St John's RC School (Essex)
Roding Primary School
Ray Lodge Primary School
Fairlop Primary School
Limes Farm Junior School
Limes Farm Infant School and Nursery
Gilbert Colvin Primary School
Glade Primary School
Buckhurst Hill Community Primary School
Clore Tikva School
Mossford Green Primary School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Nearby Schools
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