Junior schools start at Year 3, so children join here from an infant school.
Infant school
John Ray Infant School
This school
John Ray 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 John Ray Infant School.
Official inspection reports and grades
Inspected 4 March 2025
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 | 62% | 63% | 63% |
| Reading, writing & maths — higher | 6% | 10% | 8% |
| Grammar, punctuation & spelling — expected | 72% | 74% | 73% |
| Grammar, punctuation & spelling — higher | 19% | 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 | 103 | 105 | 105 |
| Grammar, punctuation & spelling | 104 | 105 | 105 |
School workforce census, 2025/26.
Ofsted’s survey of parents at this school
75%
of parents would recommend this school to another parent
76 responses up to 1 September 2025 · 17% response rate
My child is happy at this school.
78% agreeMy child feels safe at this school.
80% agreeThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.
70% agreeMy child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.
42% agreeThe school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.
80% agreeJohn Ray Junior School's last overall grade from Ofsted was Good, on 10 March 2020. Ofsted inspected it again on 4 March 2025 without giving an overall grade, as single-word grades ended in September 2024.
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 John Ray 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 John Ray 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.
John Ray Junior School had 436 pupils aged 7 to 11 at the latest school census. Its official capacity is 432. It is a mixed school.
Voluntary aided school
1.0 miles away
Academy converter
1.0 miles away
Voluntary aided school
1.1 miles away
Community school
1.2 miles away
Academy converter
1.3 miles away