Skip to content
eduscope

Search

Search for schools, places and postcodes

eduscope

SavedCompareSign in

Schools in South Woodham Ferrers

A town in Essex

  • Town
  • 11 schools and nurseries
  • 2,583 pupils

In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are close to England, and results at 16 were below England in 2026. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.

Three children with backpacks crossing a street
A red-brick school building under a blue sky

South Woodham Ferrers at a glance

Strong attendance, weaker results at 16

How South Woodham Ferrers's schools compare with England, area by area.

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries115 primary · 1 secondary · 5 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1160%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths42%Attainment 8 43.8, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary10%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school17%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in South Woodham Ferrers

Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.

All South Woodham Ferrers primary schools

Top Primary Schools in South Woodham Ferrers

5 mainstream schools in South Woodham Ferrers, best first

Woodville Primary School

Chelmsford, CM3 5SE · Academy · Primary · Ages 5 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good in every area

Results above the England average.

42 first choices, 43 offers made

Met the standard at 1167%

England 62%

Days missed
4.6%
Pupils
412
Pupils per teacher
26.2
View school Woodville Primary School

Collingwood Primary School

Chelmsford, CM3 5YJ · State · Primary · Ages 4 to 11

  • Ofsted:Expected standard in every area

Results close to the England average.

31 first choices, 30 offers made

Met the standard at 1163%

England 62%

Days missed
4.8%
Pupils
208
Pupils per teacher
26.7
View school Collingwood Primary School
See all 5 primary schools

Top Secondary Schools in South Woodham Ferrers

1 mainstream schools in South Woodham Ferrers, best first

William de Ferrers School

Chelmsford, CM3 5JU · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Requires improvement in 1 area

Results close to the England average.

208 first choices, 215 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1643.8

England 46.2

Days missed
9.1%
Pupils
1,237
Pupils per teacher
15.5
View school William de Ferrers School

Nurseries in South Woodham Ferrers

5 in South Woodham Ferrers, highest Ofsted grade first

See all 5 nurseries

Sixth Forms in South Woodham Ferrers

1 in South Woodham Ferrers, by the school's Eduscope score

William de Ferrers School

Chelmsford, CM3 5JU · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Requires improvement in 1 area

Results close to the England average.

208 first choices, 215 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1643.8

England 46.2

Days missed
9.1%
Pupils
1,237
Pupils per teacher
15.5
View school William de Ferrers School
The map

Every school in South Woodham Ferrers, on one map

Each dot is a school or nursery, coloured by its latest Ofsted grade. Point at a dot to see its name, or use the list.

See them as a list
Show
Trinity St Mary's CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School, South Woodham Ferrers, GoodSt Joseph's Catholic Primary School, SWF, GoodElmwood Primary School, GoodCollingwood Primary School, Expected standard in every areaWilliam de Ferrers School, Requires improvement in 1 areaWoodville Primary School, Good in every areaSmall Wonders Day Nursery, GoodCollingwood Under Fives Pre-school, GoodElmwood Preschool, OutstandingSouth Woodham Pre-school, GoodTwizzle Tops Marsh Farm, Expected standard or better
  • Outstanding1
  • Good6
  • Not graded yet4
Before you apply

Apply through the council where you live

Your home council handles your application, wherever the school is. Living nearby doesn't guarantee a place: each school's admission rules decide.

By age

What's on offer for each age

Pick a stage to see every South Woodham Ferrers school for that age, with filters for type, faith and Ofsted grade.

More ways to narrow it down

Here's how South Woodham Ferrers's schools break down by type, faith and more.

Postcodes

Browse South Woodham Ferrers by postcode

Some areas, like parts of a bigger town, are easiest to find by postcode.

South Woodham Ferrers vs England

How good are South Woodham Ferrers's schools?

Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.

Worked out by Eduscope from each school's published figures. Not an official statistic for this town.

Numbers that sum up South Woodham Ferrers

South Woodham FerrersEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 3 primaries with one.

    100%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    60%

    England 62%

    Close to England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    42%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

    Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.

    17%

    England 18%

    Better than England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    10%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 3 schools that have one.

100%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding0
  • Good3
  • Requires improvement0
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

South Woodham Ferrers in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap50%65%80%20182019202320242025
60% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap20%35%50%2018201920222023202420252026
42% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%15%30%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
17% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

South Woodham Ferrers has 11 schools and nurseries.

There are 10% fewer pupils than in 2018.

10% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in South Woodham Ferrers's state schools each January.

Down 10% since 2018.

Free school meals

Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.

South Woodham Ferrers10%

Dates to know

Apply through your local council, even for academies and faith schools.

  • 31 OctSecondary deadlineFor children starting Year 7.
  • 15 JanPrimary deadlineFor children starting Reception.
  • 1 MarSecondary offersOffers day for Year 7 places.
  • 16 AprPrimary offersOffers day for Reception places.

Keep up with schools in South Woodham Ferrers

Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.

Find a school to follow
Questions

Questions parents ask about South Woodham Ferrers

Nearby areas

How many schools are in South Woodham Ferrers?

South Woodham Ferrers has 11 schools, including 5 primary schools, 1 secondary school, 5 nurseries. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in South Woodham Ferrers?

The highest-ranked schools in South Woodham Ferrers on Eduscope are Woodville Primary School, St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, SWF, Collingwood Primary School. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.

What percentage of schools in South Woodham Ferrers are rated Good or Outstanding?

100% of inspected schools in South Woodham Ferrers hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 0 schools rated Outstanding and 3 rated Good.

How do primary schools in South Woodham Ferrers perform at Key Stage 2?

Across primary schools in South Woodham Ferrers, 60% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.

What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in South Woodham Ferrers?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in South Woodham Ferrers is 19.1:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.

What is the persistent absence rate in South Woodham Ferrers schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in South Woodham Ferrers is 16.9%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.

How many pupils attend schools in South Woodham Ferrers?

There are 2,583 pupils enrolled across schools in South Woodham Ferrers, with 1,346 in primary and 1,237 in secondary. 11.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How do I choose the right school in South Woodham Ferrers?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 11 schools in South Woodham Ferrers by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.

Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.

Search

Search for schools, places and postcodes