Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow

Holy Cross Catholic Primary School in Harlow continues to maintain a good standard of education for its pupils. The school is characterized by a nurturing environment where pupils feel valued and cared for, leading to their positive attitudes towards learning and strong behaviors in and out of the classroom. Significant efforts have been made to create an engaging curriculum, especially in reading, where pupils express enthusiasm and confidence. Staff are responsive and attentive to the needs of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), fostering an inclusive atmosphere.

Strengths

• Pupils display positive attitudes to learning and behave well.
• Teachers implement a systematic phonics and reading approach effectively.
• Pupils with SEND receive tailored support and thrive.
• There is a strong emphasis on personal development and emotional well-being.
• Staff feel valued and are supportive of each other.

Areas for Improvement

• Some staff require further training to improve their subject knowledge in certain subjects.

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 Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow attended 95.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.1% 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, 1.0% of pupils at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was 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 Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow had 23.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.6% 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, 10.4% of pupils at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.4% 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 2024–25 Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow received £6,739 and spent £6,603 for each of its 421 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £27,000 (£64 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

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What is Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow is Good, from an inspection in May 2023.

When was Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow last inspected by Ofsted?

Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow was last inspected in May 2023.

How many pupils does Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow have?

Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow has 412 pupils on roll.

What age range does Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow cover?

Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow?

Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow is at Tracyes Road, Southern Way, Harlow, Essex, CM18 6JJ.