St Helen's Catholic Infant and Nursery School

Voluntary aided school · Primary, ages 3 to 7 · Mixed · Roman Catholic · Nursery class

Sawyers Hall Lane, St. Helens Rc Infant School, Brentwood, CM15 9BY

01277 215626 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 5 March 2024
Pupils173Room for 206 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 265 in 2019, 250 in 2021, 243 in 2022, 233 in 2023, 212 in 2024, 187 in 2025, 173 in 2026. Across England, primary state school pupil numbers were down 4% from 2019 to 2025.
First-choice applications per place1.163 for 60 places, September 2026
10th highest of 17 state primary schools in Brentwood.
Higher than 81% of 15,826 state primary schools in England.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 5 March 2024.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
Personal developmentOutstanding
Leadership and managementOutstanding
Early yearsOutstanding
SafeguardingEffective

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

31 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025.

Brentwood comparisons use the 10 of its 19 state primary schools with comparable results. The other 9 have no published Parent View results (Ofsted only publishes a survey once at least 10 parents answer) or used Ofsted's newer questions, which we don't compare with the older ones.

StatementThis schoolBrentwoodEngland
My child is happy at this school
1st highest of 10 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Brentwood.
Higher than 82% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
100% 95% 88%
My child feels safe at this school
1st highest of 10 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Brentwood.
Higher than 80% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
100% 94% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved
Joint 1st highest of 10 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Brentwood.
Higher than 90% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
100% 89% 84%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 18 parents who had raised a concern
2nd highest of 10 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Brentwood.
Higher than 68% of 8,398 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
89% 81% 76%
I would recommend this school to another parent
Joint 1st highest of 10 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Brentwood.
Higher than 90% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
100%said yes 90% 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families. Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. Brentwood figures pool parents at the Brentwood schools compared, from each school's latest survey, so survey dates differ between schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

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Results

No test or exam results have been published for this school yet.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Essex. The national closing date for primary applications is 15 January, and offers are sent on 16 April.

How hard is it to get in?

For the September 2026 intake there were about one first-choice application for every place.

Places offered60
Families who put it first63
Of those, offered a place47 (75%)
Families who listed it at all170

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.1 · 2025: 1.0 · 2026: 1.1

This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.

This is a Roman Catholic school. When it has more applicants than places it can give priority to families of the faith, for example those who can show regular worship. Check the school's admissions policy to see how places are allocated.

Admissions dates and schools in Essex

Pupils, staff and SEND

PupilsThis schoolEssexEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
14th highest of 19 state primary schools in Brentwood.
Higher than 18% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
10.2% 21.7%* 26.3%
With an education, health and care plan
15th highest of 19 state primary schools in Brentwood.
Higher than 31% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
2.1% 2.9%* 3.5%
Receiving special educational needs support
16th highest of 19 state primary schools in Brentwood.
Higher than 5% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
6.4% 13.9%* 15.0%
English as an additional language
8th highest of 19 state primary schools in Brentwood.
Higher than 51% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
10.2% 12.2%* 23.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
2nd lowest of 19 state primary schools in Brentwood.
Lower than 90% of 16,640 state primary schools in England.
3.6% 5.3%* 5.2%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
5th lowest of 19 state primary schools in Brentwood.
Lower than 78% of 16,640 state primary schools in England.
7.3% 13.0%* 13.0%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
Joint 1st lowest of 19 state primary schools in Brentwood.
Lower than 69% of 16,651 state primary schools in England.
0.0 3.3 2.5
Pupils suspended at least once
Joint 1st lowest of 19 state primary schools in Brentwood.
Lower than 69% of 16,651 state primary schools in England.
0.0% 1.4% 1.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.03% 0.03%
Pupils per teacher
17th highest of 19 state primary schools in Brentwood.
Higher than 26% of 16,642 state primary schools in England.
18.4 21.9 20.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
15th highest of 19 state primary schools in Brentwood.
Higher than 55% of 16,653 state primary schools in England.
11.0 11.3 10.6
Teachers who left during the year
Joint 17th highest of 19 state primary schools in Brentwood.
Higher than 0% of 15,063 state primary schools in England.
0.0% 13.5%* 14.4%*

Comparisons are with primary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

Nearby primary schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is St Helen's Catholic Infant and Nursery School's Ofsted rating?

St Helen's Catholic Infant and Nursery School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 5 March 2024.

Would parents recommend St Helen's Catholic Infant and Nursery School?

100% of the 31 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025 said they would recommend St Helen's Catholic Infant and Nursery School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Is St Helen's Catholic Infant and Nursery School oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 63 families put St Helen's Catholic Infant and Nursery School as their first choice for 60 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 47 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.