Harold Court Primary School

Harold Court Primary School is an inclusive, welcoming primary where pupils feel safe and behave calmly. Inspectors found the school performing at the expected standard in every area, and safeguarding arrangements are met. Early reading and phonics are particular strengths, with consistently high Year 1 phonics outcomes and reading attainment above national averages. The curriculum is broad and ambitious, early years provision is well led, and pupils with SEND or additional needs are supported well, including through the specialist Buttercup provision. Attendance has improved faster than the national trend and persistent absence is low, while pupils benefit from a wide personal development offer and strong pastoral support. Leaders and governors have a clear vision, manage growth well and are well regarded by staff and parents. Disadvantaged pupils’ outcomes are improving but remain a key area for development, especially in writing and mathematics, and their attendance is lower than that of their peers. Teaching is generally secure, but checks on understanding are not always used sharply enough to deepen learning, and pupils are not consistently encouraged to explain their thinking. The school is also developing its new Nursery provision and needs to ensure assessment and high-quality interactions are used consistently by all staff.

Strengths

• Strong early reading and phonics teaching, with consistently high phonics screening outcomes
• Reading attainment above national averages, with disadvantaged pupils' reading a relative strength
• Calm, respectful pupil behaviour and low suspension rates
• Inclusive ethos with effective support for pupils with SEND and additional needs
• Specialist Buttercup provision with highly individualised support for pupils with complex needs
• Attendance improving faster than the national trend and low persistent absence
• Broad, ambitious curriculum that is continually evolving
• Strong pastoral support and a wide personal development offer
• Clear leadership and effective governance, with positive staff wellbeing
• New Nursery provision supporting successful transition into Reception

Areas for Improvement

• Disadvantaged pupils' overall attainment remains below national averages, particularly in writing and mathematics
• The disadvantage gap remains wide in writing and mathematics
• Attendance for disadvantaged pupils is lower than for their peers
• Assessment checks are not always used effectively to identify gaps and deepen understanding
• Pupils are not consistently encouraged to explain their thinking and deepen their learning
• The new Nursery provision requires more consistent use of assessment and high-quality interactions across staff

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Harold Court Primary School attended 95.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.3% of pupils at Harold Court Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Harold Court Primary School had 23.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 4.8% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 11.9% of pupils at Harold Court Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.3% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Harold Court Primary School received £7,389 and spent £7,720 for each of its 414 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £279,000 (£675 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

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What is Harold Court Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Harold Court Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in October 2026.

When was Harold Court Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Harold Court Primary School was last inspected in October 2026.

How many pupils does Harold Court Primary School have?

Harold Court Primary School has 420 pupils on roll.

What age range does Harold Court Primary School cover?

Harold Court Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Harold Court Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 63% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Harold Court Primary School?

Harold Court Primary School is at Church Road, Harold Wood, Romford, Essex, RM3 0SH.