The Robert Drake Primary School, Benfleet
The Robert Drake Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Benfleet. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the highest of the 10 schools in Benfleet with published results, and 1,876th of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Essex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Robert Drake Primary School in detail
The Robert Drake Primary School in its own words
Coming up: an open evening on Tuesday 10 November 2026 at 4pm. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 91% of Year 6 pupils at The Robert Drake Primary School 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 89% in reading and 96% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at The Robert Drake Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 47 families put The Robert Drake Primary School as their first choice and 156 named it as one of their preferences, for 45 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 4 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at The Robert Drake Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to The Robert Drake Primary School are Kingston Primary School (0.4 miles, Outstanding, 90% reading, 93% maths); Holy Family Catholic Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 60% reading, 67% maths); Thundersley Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 82% reading, 85% maths); and Kents Hill Junior School (0.8 miles, Good, 83% reading, 90% maths).
The Robert Drake Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Kingston Primary SchoolHoly Family Catholic Primary SchoolThundersley Primary SchoolKents Hill Junior School
Who goes there
14.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 3.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (84%) and Mixed (5%).
In 2026, 36 pupils (11.5%) received SEN support and 8 (2.6%) 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 autism.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Rayleigh Rail Station, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hazlemere Rd (opposite), 190 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
The Robert Drake Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to The Robert Drake Primary School are Harris Academy Benfleet (0.8 miles), The Deanes (1.4 miles) and The King John School (1.6 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its February 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
14.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 91% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 96% to 87% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 98% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.3
Avg class size
22.0
Infant (KS1)
10
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with The Robert Drake Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Robert Drake Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Robert Drake 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
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 6 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
1 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 The Robert Drake Primary School
Will you get a place at The Robert Drake Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Robert Drake Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Robert Drake Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Robert Drake 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 The Robert Drake 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
99%
Near capacity
314 pupils
315 places
1 spare place in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Benfleet
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Benfleet
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
36
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
14.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
313
Total Pupils
154
Boys
159
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
17.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,514
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,955
Per pupil
£1714k
Total funding
£62k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.5%
Overall absence
8.8%
Persistent absence
273
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
The Robert Drake Primary School
Questions parents ask about The Robert Drake Primary School
What are SATs results like at The Robert Drake Primary School?
Of the pupils at The Robert Drake Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 91% reached the expected standard in reading and 87% did so in maths.
What is The Robert Drake Primary School's Ofsted rating?
The Robert Drake Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2008 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for The Robert Drake Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When The Robert Drake 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 The Robert Drake Primary School?
The Robert Drake Primary School was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at The Robert Drake Primary School?
Classes at The Robert Drake Primary School average 28.3 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to The Robert Drake Primary School?
The Robert Drake Primary School has around 313 pupils on roll. 15% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Robert Drake Primary School?
4.5% of sessions were missed at The Robert Drake Primary School in 2024/25. 8.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Robert Drake Primary School?
Apply through Essex's coordinated admissions process, naming The Robert Drake 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.
How many road collisions happen near The Robert Drake Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 6 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 1 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 The Robert Drake Primary School?
The Robert Drake Primary School is at Church Road, New Thundersley, Benfleet, Essex, SS7 3HT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)