Waterman Primary School, Rochford
Waterman Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Rochford, part of Hearts Academy Trust. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 6th-highest of the 7 schools in Rochford with published results, and 13,133rd of 14,452 across England. It was 44% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
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
Waterman Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils at Waterman Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 50% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 76% in Essex and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 90% in reading and 100% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Waterman Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 9 families put Waterman Primary School as their first choice and 22 named it as one of their preferences, for 12 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 Waterman Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Waterman Primary School are St Teresa's Catholic Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 52% reading, 38% maths); Holt Farm Junior School (0.4 miles, Good, 75% reading, 73% maths); Holt Farm Infant School (0.4 miles, Good); and Rochford Primary and Nursery School (0.4 miles, Good, 87% reading, 90% maths).
Waterman Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.
St Teresa's Catholic Primary SchoolHolt Farm Junior SchoolHolt Farm Infant SchoolRochford Primary and Nursery School
The trust
Waterman Primary School is one of 6 schools run by Hearts Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 72% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
41 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Waterman Primary School (as of April 2026): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (95%).
Who goes there
58.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (88%) and Mixed (8%).
In 2026, 26 pupils (38.8%) received SEN support and 8 (11.9%) 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.
Staffing
Waterman Primary School had 5 teachers in 2026, one for every 9 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Rochford Rail Station, about 850 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is Dalys Road (e-bound), 380 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Waterman Primary School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Waterman Primary School issued 5 suspensions, 9.4 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; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Requires Improvement at its November 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
Areas Ofsted flagged
Quality of education (Requires Improvement).
At a Glance
58.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
41 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 90% to 67% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 100% to 50% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 89% to 50% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
12.8
Avg class size
16.0
Infant (KS1)
12.5
KS2
5
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Waterman Primary School
Before and after school care
Waterman Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Essex
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Waterman Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Waterman 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
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 7 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt.
3 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 Waterman Primary School
Will you get a place at Waterman Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Waterman Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Waterman Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Waterman 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 Waterman Primary School for 2016 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
44%
Available places
46 pupils
105 places
59 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Rochford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Rochford
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(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
26
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
50.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
67
Total Pupils
39
Boys
28
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
13.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£44,134
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£8,910
Per pupil
£463k
Total funding
£41k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.8%
Overall absence
28.6%
Persistent absence
49
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
Waterman Primary School
Questions parents ask about Waterman Primary School
What are SATs results like at Waterman Primary School?
Of the pupils at Waterman Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 67% reached the expected standard in reading and 50% did so in maths.
What is Waterman Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Waterman Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2023, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Waterman Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Waterman 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 Waterman Primary School?
Waterman Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 44% of its 105 places.
How big are the classes at Waterman Primary School?
Classes at Waterman Primary School average 12.8 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Waterman Primary School?
Waterman Primary School has around 67 pupils on roll. 58% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Waterman Primary School?
6.8% of sessions were missed at Waterman Primary School in 2024/25. 28.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Waterman Primary School?
Apply through Essex's coordinated admissions process, naming Waterman 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 Waterman Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Waterman Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Waterman Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 7 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt. 3 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 Waterman Primary School?
Waterman Primary School is at The Boulevard, Rochford, Essex, SS4 1QF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)