St John's RC School (Essex)

St John's RC School (Essex) is a non-maintained special school for pupils with severe and moderate learning difficulties and autism, all of whom have an education, health and care plan. Inspectors found the school performing at a strong standard for attendance and behaviour and for personal development and wellbeing, with safeguarding standards met. Across achievement, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, leadership and governance, and post-16 provision, the school met the expected standard. Pupils are happy, settled and safe, and they benefit from calm, structured and highly personalised support. Attendance is a clear priority and is supported effectively through work with families and external professionals. Staff know pupils well, understand their triggers and create sensory-friendly environments. Pastoral care and PSHE/RSE are particular strengths, helping pupils manage emotions, communicate and build independence. The curriculum is ambitious and adapted to individual needs, and pupils achieve well in core areas, though the school is still refining how wider development is sequenced across all subjects. The main area for improvement is to ensure that progression of knowledge and skills for pupils' wider development is consistently and precisely mapped across every curriculum area, including post-16. Leaders, governors and staff are well regarded, and the school benefits from a long-standing ethos of care linked to the neighbouring convent.

Strengths

• Attendance is a high priority with effective personalised support and strong communication with families.
• Pupils are calm, ready to learn and benefit from a consistent, purposeful environment.
• Staff understand pupils' individual needs and triggers, creating optimal sensory learning conditions.
• Bullying is extremely uncommon and is addressed well when it occurs.
• Personal, social, health and economics education is carefully planned and personalised.
• Pupils show respect, kindness, independence and self-advocacy.
• Pastoral care is excellent, with family support, emotional support and therapeutic expertise.
• The careers programme is robust and leads to sustained destinations for pupils.
• Pupils achieve well from their starting points, especially in communication, reading and early mathematics.
• Leaders have developed an ambitious, coherent curriculum matched to individual needs.
• Inclusion is careful and thoughtful, with strong multi-professional working.
• Leaders have a clear understanding of the school and set appropriate improvement priorities.
• Governance is effective, supported by the school's long-standing convent connection.
• Post-16 provision is personalised and prepares students well for adulthood.
• Safeguarding standards are met.

Areas for Improvement

• Progression of knowledge and skills for pupils' wider development is not yet consistently and precisely mapped across all curriculum areas, including post-16.

In 2024–25 pupils at St John's RC School (Essex) attended 88.8% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 33.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

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, 0.0% of pupils at St John's RC School (Essex) were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). 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 St John's RC School (Essex) had 102 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 98.6%).

It says it provides for: specific learning difficulty; moderate learning difficulty; severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; social, emotional and mental health; speech, language and communication needs; hearing impairment; multi-sensory impairment; autistic spectrum disorder; other difficulty or disability.

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 non-maintained special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Epping Forest · Essex local authority: places and applications

What is St John's RC School (Essex)'s Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St John's RC School (Essex) is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was St John's RC School (Essex) last inspected by Ofsted?

St John's RC School (Essex) was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does St John's RC School (Essex) have?

St John's RC School (Essex) has 102 pupils on roll.

What age range does St John's RC School (Essex) cover?

St John's RC School (Essex) for pupils aged 5 to 19.

Where is St John's RC School (Essex)?

St John's RC School (Essex) is at Turpins Lane, Woodford Bridge, Essex, IG8 8AX.