OFSTED
13 January 2026
Latest inspection
Latest published outcome
Met
Renewed framework
Safeguarding
Met
Inclusion
Expected standard
Curriculum & teaching
Expected standard
Achievement
Expected standard
Attendance & behaviour
Expected standard
Personal development
Expected standard
Leadership & governance
Expected standard
INSPECTION HISTORY
Previous Ofsted activity
21 September 2021
Graded inspection
Good
Published
11 November 2021
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Community special school
Phase
Not applicable
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Does not apply
Local authority
Essex
Trust
Not applicable
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
243
243 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
60
24.7% of pupils
Male pupils
183
75.3% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
16.8 pts
above England
School
41.6%
Braintree
19.6%
East of England
19.7%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
15.8 pts
below England
School
4.5%
Braintree
6.8%
East of England
16.4%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
1.0 pts
below England
School
0.0%
Braintree
1.1%
East of England
1.7%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
80.2%
195
Any other White background
3.3%
8
African
2.9%
7
Any other Mixed background
2.9%
7
Unclassified
2.1%
5
Indian
1.6%
4
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
100.0%
243 of
243 pupils
79.2 pts
above England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
14.4 pts
below
England
6.0%
93.6 pts
above
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
2024/25
Key stage 2 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.
EXPECTED STANDARD
Reading, writing & maths
0.0%
60.4 pts
below England
EXPECTED STANDARD
0.0%
Reading
73.8 pts below England
School
0.0%
Braintree
74.6%
East of England
72.9%
England
73.8%
EXPECTED STANDARD
0.0%
Writing
70.3 pts below England
School
0.0%
Braintree
69.9%
East of England
68.0%
England
70.3%
EXPECTED STANDARD
0.0%
Maths
72.0 pts below England
School
0.0%
Braintree
70.9%
East of England
70.3%
England
72.0%
School results show the percentage of
pupils meeting the expected standard.
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages and are not
pupil-weighted official attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
10.53%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
4.31 pts
higher than
England
School
10.53%
Braintree
6.23%
East of England
6.17%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
32.64%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
16.83 pts
higher than
England
School
32.64%
Braintree
15.73%
East of England
15.39%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
3.63%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
1.82 pts
higher than
England
School
3.63%
Braintree
1.96%
East of England
1.83%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open not applicable schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
99.2%
19.4 pts
above England
The Edith Borthwick School
99.2%
Braintree
77.8%
East of England
78.7%
England
79.8%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.