St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge, Colchester
St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Colchester. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 33rd-highest of the 66 schools in Colchester with published results, and 6,591st of 14,452 across England. It was 94% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
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
St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge in detail
St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to St Lawrence Primary School; a successful, vibrant, and happy school in the heart of Rowhedge Village. At St Lawrence we encourage students to develop a lifelong love of learning and pride ourselves on our friendly and welcoming atmosphere."
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 70% of Year 6 pupils at St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge reached the expected standard in reading and 87% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 76% in Essex and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 87% in reading and 83% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge
For September 2026 entry, 45 families put St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge 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.
Admissions history and your chances at St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge are Fingringhoe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 62% reading, 62% maths); Broomgrove Junior School (1 mile, Good, 73% reading, 59% maths); Broomgrove Infant School (1 mile, Good); and Old Heath Community Primary School (1.2 miles, Good, 80% reading, 80% maths).
St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Fingringhoe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolBroomgrove Junior SchoolBroomgrove Infant SchoolOld Heath Community Primary School
What parents say
56 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge (as of September 2025): 93% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 78% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (78%).
Who goes there
3.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (81%) and Mixed (9%).
In 2026, 42 pupils (18.8%) received SEN support and 3 (1.3%) 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
St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge had 14 teachers in 2026, one for every 16 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Wivenhoe Rail Station, about 910 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Taylor's Road (adjacent), 120 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 43 crimes within a mile of the school, most often shoplifting, anti-social behaviour and violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Essex (97).
Suspensions and exclusions
St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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 November 2014, 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
St Lawrence provides a truly nurturing environment where children thrive both academically and personally. The school excels at teaching reading through expert phonics delivery and supports children with additional needs exceptionally well through close partnership with families. Children also benefit from a rich curriculum that connects subjects together, keeping them engaged and motivated to learn and achieve their best.
Key Strengths
- Pupils are happy, respectful and very well cared for in a nurturing environment - staff prioritise wellbeing with timely support
- Strong phonics teaching and reading support - pupils read fluently and gain strong understanding, with access to diverse reading materials
- Exceptional support for pupils with SEND - the school communicates tenaciously with families and external agencies to provide precise guidance
- Pupils develop thorough understanding across interrelated subjects and are motivated and eager to learn
- Outstanding character development through the 'agents of change' programme - pupils become confident advocates for their community and wider world
Areas for Improvement
- A small number of pupils are not developing independent writing skills as well as reading and maths - some staff focus on activity completion rather than how well pupils understand writing and spelling techniques
- Leaders and governors need better quality assurance of policies and documentation - some policies shared with parents do not reflect current practice, and up-to-date policies have not been widely shared
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
trips, visiting speakers, extra-curricular clubs, agents of change programme with challenges and badges
St Lawrence Church of England Primary School is a nurturing community where pupils flourish under the school's values of courage, community and compassion. The school has maintained good standards and pupils achieve well across a broad, well-planned curriculum.
At a Glance
19.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
56 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 declined from 87% to 70% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 83% to 87% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 73% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.6
Avg class size
29.5
Infant (KS1)
26.8
KS2
7
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 St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge
25th September 2026 Newsletter
25 Sep 2026
18th September 2026 Newsletter
18 Sep 2026
11th September 2026 Newsletter
11 Sep 2026
4th September 2026 Newsletter
4 Sep 2026
17th July 2026 Newsletter
17 Jul 2026
10th July 2026 Newsletter
10 Jul 2026
From St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge 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
- 0
- 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, 0 serious and 1 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 St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge
Will you get a place at St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Essex, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge 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
94%
Near capacity
220 pupils
234 places
14 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Colchester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Colchester
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(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
42
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
20.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
223
Total Pupils
103
Boys
120
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
15.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,450
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,246
Per pupil
£1315k
Total funding
£65k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.3%
Overall absence
12.2%
Persistent absence
197
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge
What are SATs results like at St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge?
Of the pupils at St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 70% reached the expected standard in reading and 87% did so in maths.
What is St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge's Ofsted rating?
St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge?
No fixed boundary. When St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge is oversubscribed, Essex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge?
St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge was not full in 2025: it ran at 94% of its 234 places.
How big are the classes at St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge?
Classes at St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge average 27.6 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 St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge?
St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge has around 223 pupils on roll. 20% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge?
5.3% of sessions were missed at St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge in 2024/25. 12.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge?
Apply through Essex's coordinated admissions process, naming St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge 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 St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge?
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, 0 serious and 1 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 St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge?
St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge is at Rectory Road, Rowhedge, Colchester, Essex, CO5 7HR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)