Stebbing Primary School Review 2026: Montessori-informed village primary with Forest School at its core

Stebbing Primary is a state primary, so the most meaningful public benchmark at the end of Year 6 is Key Stage 2 attainment.

Attainment (2024)

• 68.33% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, above the England average of 62%.

• At the higher standard, 13.33% reached the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics, above the England average of 8%.

• Average scaled scores were 103 in reading, 103 in maths, and 104 in grammar, punctuation and spelling.

These figures suggest pupils are, on average, leaving Year 6 with secure basics and a meaningful cohort reaching higher standards, which usually translates into confidence at transition and fewer gaps in core learning. (It does not mean every child will find the same pace comfortable, and families should still look closely at how the school supports children who need more time.)

FindMySchool rankings (based on official data)

Ranked 10,695th in England and 7th in the Dunmow area for primary outcomes. This places the school below England average overall in the ranking distribution, even though its combined expected-standard figure sits above the England average. The practical takeaway is that outcomes appear solid in absolute terms, but the ranking suggests other indicators in the composite measure may be pulling the overall position down compared with many other primaries.

The strongest single thread running through Stebbing’s published material is a blend of structured curriculum delivery with an emphasis on independence and practical learning. The school explicitly describes using a Montessori approach within classrooms, and that tends to show up in how pupils access tasks, choose resources, and build concentration over time. The value for many families is that it can suit children who learn best through doing and through clear routines, rather than constant whole-class instruction.

Early reading looks like a priority from Reception. The latest inspection evidence describes children starting phonics as soon as they begin school, systematic practice of sounds, and books being matched carefully to what pupils can decode. For parents, that is the difference between a child “liking stories” and a child becoming a fluent reader who can access the wider curriculum.

In maths and English, the school uses checks on understanding to plan future learning and to decide where pupils need extra support. The implication is a fairly responsive model, with intervention used to keep pupils moving with the curriculum, rather than letting misconceptions sit for half a term.

One area identified for development is assessment beyond English and maths, where the inspection evidence points to less consistent embedded practice across the wider curriculum. In plain terms, pupils may still be learning well in foundation subjects, but the school has been challenged to sharpen how it tracks and responds to what pupils know and can do in those areas.

As a village primary, Stebbing’s main “destination” is transition to local secondary schools. Families usually approach this in one of two ways.

Option one is the local comprehensive route

For many pupils, continuity of friendships and manageable travel time are the priority, and the main question becomes how well Year 6 prepares children for secondary expectations around organisation, independent homework, and confidence in mixed-ability classes.

Option two is a selective or specialist route further afield

Essex has selective options in some areas and a range of high-demand comprehensives. In that scenario, families typically start exploring Year 4 and Year 5, then use Year 6 to consolidate learning rather than abruptly changing approach.

In practice, Stebbing’s emphasis on responsibility roles, structured wellbeing language, and independent working habits can support transition whichever secondary route a child takes.

Stebbing Primary School is a community school, with Reception admissions coordinated by Essex County Council. The school is oversubscribed with 63 applications and 27 offers, 2.33. applications per place That is competitive for a small PAN setting and means families should treat admission as uncertain unless they are very well placed under the criteria.

The school’s prospectus sets out the oversubscription order in plain terms: looked-after and previously looked-after children first, then siblings, then children living in the priority admission area, then remaining applications, with distance used as the tie-break within criteria.

For September 2026 Reception entry in Essex, the published local authority timeline includes a closing date of 15 January 2026 and an offers date of 16 April 2026. Late applications are processed after on-time applications.

Open events and visits

For Reception 2026, the school published multiple open day sessions across October and November, plus a January date, with tours led by Year 6 pupils. Even though exact dates shift each year, the pattern suggests autumn open days with the possibility of an early January session.

If you are shortlisting, FindMySchool’s Map Search is a sensible first step before you emotionally commit, particularly in a small oversubscribed school where small distance differences can matter.

Pastoral care in a primary is often best judged by what is systematised rather than what is promised. Stebbing publishes a wellbeing framework, and the latest inspection evidence describes pupils using a “five ways to well-being” model when they need help managing feelings or situations. That matters because it gives children vocabulary and routines, rather than relying on individual adults to “notice and fix”.

SEND support is unusually visible in the school’s public documentation. The SEND information report lists The Nest as a SEND hub and outlines both resources and programmes, including Zones of Regulation, Talkabout, social stories, sensory resources, and structured interventions. For many families, this signals a school that expects a spectrum of needs within a mainstream setting and plans for it.

Safeguarding is a baseline requirement, not a differentiator, but it is still important to be explicit. The most recent published inspection confirms effective safeguarding arrangements.

A small school can struggle to offer breadth. Stebbing tackles this with a timetabled club programme that spans before school, lunchtime, and after school across the week. The current published timetable includes, among others:

• Drawing and illustration club (before school)

• Mindfulness Matters (before school)

• Origami club (lunchtime)

• Construction club (after school)

• Choir (after school)

• Gardening club (lunchtime)

• Multiple sports options including tag rugby, hockey, football, netball, dodgeball, cross-country, and yoga

This matters because it spreads access. Pupils who cannot stay late every day can still join lunchtime clubs, while families needing childcare can combine clubs with wraparound.

Forest School is the standout “signature” programme. The school describes having an on-site Forest School area plus access to a local water meadow and woodland, with ponds for pond dipping, a seated fire circle and fire pit used for cooking, and a cob oven for pizzas, bread and cakes. Tools are part of the offer, with pupils learning safe use of hammers, saws and drills under supervision, and structured risk education rather than blanket avoidance. Sessions are led by a named Level 3 Forest School practitioner. For many children, this kind of programme is where confidence is built, especially for those who struggle to sit still for long periods or who learn best through practical tasks.

The published daily timetable in the school prospectus shows drop-off between 08:30 and 08:40 and home time at 15:10.

Wraparound is a significant practical strength. Breakfast club runs 07:30 to 08:30 (Reception to Year 6). After school, the school’s wraparound provision, Starlings, runs 15:10 to 18:00 during term time, with a published session cost of £12 for 15:10 to 18:00, or £10 for 16:00 to 18:00.

Trips and visits are positioned as curriculum-linked rather than optional extras, with examples in the prospectus including locations such as Colchester Zoo, Sutton Hoo, and a Year 6 trip to Norfolk Lakes.

• Competition for Reception places. With 2.33 applications per offer admission can be the limiting factor, especially for families outside the stronger priority criteria.

• The “Montessori plus National Curriculum” fit. For many children, independence and practical learning are ideal. For others, especially those who prefer very direct instruction all day, it is worth probing how consistency is maintained across classes.

• Assessment development beyond English and maths. The latest inspection evidence flags work to do in embedding assessment practice across foundation subjects, which matters for parents who want strong tracking in the wider curriculum.

• Wraparound is a strength, but it is structured. Breakfast club and Starlings are clear and well-defined, but places and booking expectations can change, so families relying on wraparound should confirm current availability and routines early.

Stebbing Primary School suits families who want a village school with a distinctive practical learning identity, especially those drawn to a Montessori ethos and a genuinely developed Forest School programme. Outcomes are above England averages on core combined measures, and wellbeing, SEND structures, and wraparound provision are unusually explicit for a small primary. Best suited to children who respond well to responsibility, independence, and learning that is often hands-on, with the main hurdle being admission in an oversubscribed setting.