About Our School: School History
Dating from mediaeval times, the village of Elmstead Market, with a population of around 2500, is situated four miles east of Colchester, on the A133. The school was originally designed to be totally open-plan when it was completed in 1973. Over time the internal design as changed, with walls being added between each classroom. The school was extended in 1998, to provide an IT suite, music room/resources area/group teaching space, a library and additional classrooms. There are seven good-sized class areas, with the hall refurbished in 2000. The building is double-glazed throughout, whilst having the advantage of being air-conditioned. The school office, providing separate accommodation for the Administrator, the Secretary and the Clerical Assistant, has been completely refurbished. The original staff room, somewhat limited in size, was extended during the Summer term of 2005, providing not only more seating space, but a new kitchen and quiet study area. The final phase of the roof refurbishment was completed during August, 2006.
Elmstead Primary School is a Foundation School for mixed ability children, aged 4 to 11 years. There are 216 pupils on roll. The school serves the village of Elmstead Market, but draws nearly a third of its pupils from outside the catchment area. The school held grant-maintained status from 1993, which enabled it to greatly improve the fabric of its buildings, the quality and quantity of resources for use by staff and pupils, and to manage its budgets to enhance the educational provision of the school. Foundation status was awarded in September, 1999, allowing the operation to continue in a similar manner.
Children generally come from highly supportive backgrounds and the percentage of pupils receiving free school meals is below the national average. The school opened a Nursery unit adjacent to the main building, in 2000, and the majority of children attend the Nursery before starting at Elmstead School.
Since the opening of the Nursery, records show that attainment on entry to the school has risen and in the reception class children are showing above average attainment on entry. The percentage of pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN) is below the national average and there are currently no children with statements. Most of the pupils with SEN, who require regular additional support, have moderate learning difficulties. Very few pupils come from ethnic minority backgrounds and there is only one pupil who speaks English as an additional language. The school received recognition of its work, in 2001, by being awarded Investor in People status - renewed successfully in March, 2004, and again in March, 2007 In 2002 Elmstead Primary became Essex's first Beacon primary school, with the initiative concluding in 2005.
In 2003 the efforts of all the staff were recognised by the DfES presenting them with a School Achievement Award. In October, 2006, the school was graded as "outstanding" in all areas by OfSTED.