Junior schools start at Year 3, so children join here from an infant school.
Infant school
Hilltop Infant School
This school
Hilltop Junior School
Every child joining in Year 3 needs a place applied for through the council where they live, by 15 January in Year 2. That includes children at Hilltop Infant School.
Official inspection reports and grades
Inspected 16 June 2026
Compared with the local authority and England
The share of pupils reaching the standard expected for their age, and the share going beyond it.
| Measure | School | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing & maths — expected | 67% | 63% | 63% |
| Reading, writing & maths — higher | 6% | 10% | 8% |
| Grammar, punctuation & spelling — expected | 69% | 74% | 73% |
| Grammar, punctuation & spelling — higher | 32% | 30% | 30% |
A score of 100 is the expected standard; 110 or more is a higher standard.
| Subject | School | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 105 | 106 | 106 |
| Maths | 106 | 105 | 105 |
| Grammar, punctuation & spelling | 104 | 105 | 105 |
School workforce census, 2025/26.
Ofsted’s survey of parents at this school
Ofsted changed the Parent View questions in November 2025, so some questions differ between years.
89%
of parents would recommend this school to another parent
194 responses up to 6 April 2026 · 54% response rate
My child is happy at this school.
92% agreeMy child feels safe at this school.
93% agreeThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.
73% agreeMy child has been bullied, and the school dealt with it quickly and effectively.
53% agreeMy child has SEND, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.
79% agreeOfsted inspected Hilltop Junior School on 16 June 2026 using a report card, which grades each area separately and gives no overall grade. The school met Ofsted's safeguarding standards. It was graded Strong standard for inclusion; Expected standard for achievement, for curriculum and teaching, for leadership and governance, for personal development and wellbeing and for attendance and behaviour.
Apply through the council where you live by 15 January for a Year 3 place starting that September. Every child joining in Year 3 needs a place applied for through the council where they live, by 15 January in Year 2. That includes children at Hilltop Infant School. You can usually list between 3 and 6 schools in order of preference, and offers are sent on 16 April, or the next working day.
No. Distance only counts when Hilltop Junior School has more applicants than places. Then its admission criteria, set by its academy trust, decide who is offered a place first. Children in care or adopted from care come first by law. Most schools put brothers and sisters of current pupils next, then distance or a catchment area. How far away the last place went changes every year, depending on who applies.
Hilltop Junior School had 352 pupils aged 7 to 11 at the latest school census. Its official capacity is 360. It is a mixed school.