School profile

Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow

Primary · Academy converter · Harlow, CM18 6JJ

Good

Map showing Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

Key stage 2 2024/25

#6,549 of 15,057

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 17 Jan 2012

Ofsted rating
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Early years
Not inspected

School facts

PhasePrimary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages5 to 11
Pupils412
GenderMixed
Religious characterRoman Catholic
Head teacherMrs Alison Kerrell
TrustHOLY CROSS CATHOLIC PRIMARY ACADEMY
Local authorityEssex
Opened01 Aug 2011
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 136967.

Key stage 2 results

2024/25

Year 6 results in national curriculum tests and teacher assessments. The expected standard is the level pupils should reach by the end of primary school.

MeasureThis schoolEssexEngland
Expected standard in reading, writing and maths67%, better than England, better than Essex63%63%
Higher standard in reading, writing and mathsScore of 110 or more in reading and maths, greater depth in writing.6%, similar to England, worse than Essex10%8%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.107, similar to England, similar to Essex106106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.106, similar to England, similar to Essex105105
Average grammar, punctuation and spelling scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.106, similar to England, similar to Essex105105
Expected standard in reading90%, better than England, better than Essex77%76%
Expected standard in writing71%, similar to England, similar to Essex73%73%
Expected standard in maths86%, better than England, better than Essex76%75%
Pupils taking tests63--

Source: DfE, Compare school performance, Compare school performance 2024-2025.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils412
Girls201
Boys211
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.17.2%
First language not English38.6%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.436
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.5.5%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.43
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.18
Average class size29.9

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
38.3%
African
24.5%
Other White
18.2%
White and Black Caribbean
4.6%
Other mixed
4.6%
Caribbean
1.9%
Other Asian
1.7%
Other Black
1.5%
Other ethnic group
1.2%
White and Black African
1%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher23.3
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.10.7
Teachers (FTE)17.69
Teaching assistants (FTE)18.71
Support staff (FTE)31.83
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2517.9
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2516.9
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/250
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/251

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Reception)Places offered on national offer day.50
Applications (Reception)Includes every preference parents listed.84
First preference applications (Reception)Families who put this school as their first choice.45
First preference offers (Reception)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.45
Applications from another local authority (Reception)1

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolEssexEngland
Overall absence4.1%, better than England, better than Essex5.3%5.1%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.9.2%, better than England, better than Essex13.3%13.2%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.0%, better than England, better than Essex1.2%1%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate1.2%
Pupils with one or more suspensions1%
Permanent exclusion rate0.2%
Permanent exclusions1

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miSecondaryPassmores AcademyAcademy converter
Good
0.2 miPrimaryPear Tree Mead AcademyAcademy converter
Good
0.3 miPrimaryPurford Green Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.4 miPrimaryPotter Street AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.4 miPrimaryWilliam Martin Church of England Infant and Nursery SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.6 miPrimaryLatton Green Primary AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.7 miPrimaryWilliam Martin Church of England Junior SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.9 miPrimaryChurch Langley Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.9 miSecondarySt Mark's West Essex Catholic SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.0 miPrimaryHenry Moore Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow

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

Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 17 Jan 2012.

How does Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow rank in England?

Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow ranks 6,549 of 15,057 schools in England for Key stage 2 2024/25 (similar to most schools).

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

In 2024/25, 67% of pupils at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (England 63%).

How hard is it to get into Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow?

For Reception entry in 2026/27, Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow made 50 offers from 84 applications (1.7 per offer), and 45 of 45 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow?

Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow has 412 pupils aged 5 to 11.

What is the capacity of Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow?

Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow had 436 school places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow?

At Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow, the average class had 29.9 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 23.3 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow?

In 2025/26, pupils at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow missed 4.1% of sessions (England 5.1%), and 9.2% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 13.2%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.