The Cathedral Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chelmsford, Chelmsford

Ofsted's report card from its 3 March 2026 inspection grades The Cathedral Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chelmsford on 7 areas: 3 strong standard and 4 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils achieve highly."

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Absence is rare."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders have created a safe place where pupils thrive and flourish."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The curriculum is ambitious and well designed."

Early years - Expected standard. "The early years curriculum is carefully structured."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders identify pupils' needs quickly and accurately."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders make sure that pupils achieve, grow and feel they belong."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders, including those responsible for governance, need to ensure that they continue to increase the precision of information gained from systems and processes to analyse school performance, especially for some disadvantaged pupils, and monitor the impact closely to accelerate closing attainment gaps"; "Leaders need to continue to strengthen staff development by deepening teachers' expertise to adapt content and teaching to respond with increasing effectiveness to the school's changing context and pupils' needs".

In its own words: "At the Cathedral C of E Primary School, we welcome children, their parents and families into a warm, friendly and hardworking environment where our Christian Vision and Values are at the heart of all we do. Please explore further to learn more about our school or contact us to arrange a visit. We look forward to meeting you!"

From the headteacher's welcome: "It gives me great pleasure to introduce myself as the Headteacher of The Cathedral School and welcome you on behalf of our pupils, staff and governors."

The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care, from £4.25 per day.

Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 4 November 2026 and an open day on Wednesday 25 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2025, 94% of Year 6 pupils at The Cathedral Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chelmsford reached the expected standard in reading and 94% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 76% in Essex and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 84% in reading and 91% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 59 families put The Cathedral Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chelmsford as their first choice and 114 named it as one of their preferences, for 45 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 20 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state primary schools to The Cathedral Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chelmsford are Trinity Road Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 71% reading, 67% maths); Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 88% reading, 84% maths); Maltese Road Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 77% reading, 87% maths); and Oaklands Infant School (0.8 miles, Outstanding).

The Cathedral Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chelmsford's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.

83 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Cathedral Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chelmsford (as of April 2026): 95% would recommend the school, 98% say their child is happy there and 0% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (98%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (0%).

7.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 31 pupils (9.9%) received SEN support and 5 (1.6%) 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.

The nearest railway station is Chelmsford Rail Station, about 510 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).

12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Riverside Ice and Leisure (outside), 140 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 601 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Essex (97), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, The Cathedral Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chelmsford issued 3 suspensions, 1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to The Cathedral Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chelmsford are King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford (0.6 miles); Chelmsford County High School for Girls (0.6 miles); The Boswells School (1.1 miles); and St John Payne Catholic School, Chelmsford (1.2 miles).