Benyon Primary School

Benyon Primary School continues to perform well as a good school, demonstrating a supportive and engaging learning environment for its pupils. The headteacher, Samantha Oxley, leads the school in a way that promotes high expectations and a well-structured curriculum, reflected in the pupils' enthusiasm for learning and positive behaviour overall. Despite some challenges, including a small number of pupils requiring additional behavioural support, the school effectively addresses these needs and fosters a culture of safety and support among students. Improvements in attendance and ongoing efforts to enhance staff well-being are also notable aspects of the school's growth.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate enthusiasm for learning.
• The curriculum is well-planned and builds on prior knowledge.
• Strong focus on pupils' physical and mental well-being.
• Effective systems and training for staff regarding SEND.
• Good subject knowledge among teachers.
• Pupils enjoy a variety of high-quality texts and reading activities.
• Improvements in attendance due to targeted support.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent application of rewards and sanctions among staff.
• Need for improved monitoring of SEND adaptations and interventions.

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 Benyon Primary School attended 93.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 16.2% 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, 0.2% of pupils at Benyon 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 Benyon Primary School had 23.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.5% 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, 6.7% of pupils at Benyon Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.8% 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 Benyon Primary School received £6,327 and spent £6,533 for each of its 413 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £194,000 (£469 per pupil).

Across all 5 schools of Catalyst Academies Trust, income was £6,930 and spending £6,646 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.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in South Ockendon · Thurrock local authority: places and applications

Benyon Primary School is part of Catalyst Academies Trust, which runs 5 schools. The nearest others:

• Dilkes Academy South Ockendon
• Somers Heath Primary School South Ockendon
• Aveley Primary School South Ockendon
• Quarry Hill Academy Grays

What is Benyon Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Benyon Primary School is Good, from an inspection in June 2024.

When was Benyon Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Benyon Primary School was last inspected in June 2024.

How many pupils does Benyon Primary School have?

Benyon Primary School has 431 pupils on roll.

What age range does Benyon Primary School cover?

Benyon Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

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

In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Benyon Primary School?

Benyon Primary School is at Tyssen Place, South Ockendon, Essex, RM15 6PG.