Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #44 in Essex public Top 34% UK

Unity Primary Academy

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMr Pieter Labuschagne

corporate_fareREACH2 ACADEMY TRUST

location_onColchester, CO4 3QJ

language Visit Website phone 1206864226

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2025

groups

Students

427

school

Expected Standard

70%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

1.0x

summarize

Unity Primary Academy is a Academy sponsor led primary school in Colchester, serving ages 3-11. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards. Ranks in the top 34% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

Unity Primary Academy is an academy sponsor led in Colchester, Essex, admitting pupils aged 3-11. It is part of REACH2 ACADEMY TRUST. The school has approximately 449 pupils on roll, of whom 51% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 70% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 8% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #44 of 387 primaries in Essex and #1,897 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2025. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Outstanding, and leadership and management Good.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 1.0× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 22.1:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 3.1 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

70%

LA 61%

Reading77% LA 74%

Writing72% LA 70%

Maths79% LA 72%

Read SS

105

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

101

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

62%

LA 60%England 61%

Reading71% LA 73% · Eng 74%

Writing75% LA 70% · Eng 72%

Maths73% LA 71% · Eng 73%

Read SS

104

Maths SS

104

GPS SS

105

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

36%

LA 59%England 60%

Reading51% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Writing54% LA 71% · Eng 71%

Maths43% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Read SS

102

Maths SS

100

GPS SS

100

Progress (0 = national avg)

-4.9

Read

LA -0.1

-6.7 to -3.2

-4.7

Write

LA 0.0

-6.4 to -3.1

-6.7

Maths

LA -0.3

-8.3 to -5.0

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

64%

LA 64%England 65%

Reading70% LA 73% · Eng 73%

Writing74% LA 77% · Eng 78%

Maths85% LA 77% · Eng 79%

Read SS

104

Maths SS

106

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

2.3

Read

LA -0.5

0.4 to 4.3

-1.2

Write

LA -0.2

-3.0 to 0.5

2.5

Maths

LA -0.6

0.8 to 4.2

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

69%

LA 63%

Reading81% LA 75%

Writing78% LA 77%

Maths78% LA 73%

Read SS

107

Maths SS

107

GPS SS

104

Progress (0 = national avg)

1.9

Read

LA -0.3

0.2 to 3.6

-1.7

Write

LA -0.2

-3.3 to -0.1

2.2

Maths

LA -0.6

0.7 to 3.7

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

10 June 2025

Inspection Report

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07 March 2023

Inspection Report

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12 July 2017

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2025-06-10

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Not Judged

info

Why no overall grade?

From autumn 2024, Ofsted stopped issuing a single headline grade (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate). Instead, each inspection area is graded individually. This follows a major review after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023. The overall effectiveness field is left as "Not judged" in the published data.

Education

Good

Behaviour

Good

Development

Outstanding

Leadership

Good

2023-03-07

S5 Inspection EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Requires improvement

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2017-07-12

Academy First Section 5 Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

2.4%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

2.2%(10 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 449 pupils. During this period, there were 11 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 2.4%, which is above the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	449	11	2.4%	0.8%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	437	16	3.7%	0.9%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	462	16	3.5%	0.8%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	458	8	1.7%	0.7%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	440	25	5.7%	0.8%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	452	17	3.8%	0.7%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	427	18	4.2%	0.6%	1
2022/23 (Autumn term)	381	15	3.9%	0.6%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	356	18	5.1%	0.5%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	349	13	3.7%	0.5%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	336	31	9.2%	0.5%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	365	11	3.0%	0.4%	0
2020/21 (Spring term)	353	2	0.6%	0.1%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	344	12	3.5%	0.4%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	383	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	383	5	1.3%	0.4%	0
2019/20 (Autumn term)	387	7	1.8%	0.6%	0
2018/19 (Summer term)	404	6	1.5%	0.4%	0
2018/19 (Spring term)	398	8	2.0%	0.5%	0
2018/19 (Autumn term)	390	10	2.6%	0.5%	0
2017/18 (Summer term)	420	4	1.0%	0.5%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	420	7	1.7%	0.4%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	420	4	1.0%	0.5%	0
2016/17 (Summer term)	419	5	1.2%	0.4%	0
2016/17 (Spring term)	407	10	2.5%	0.4%	0
2016/17 (Autumn term)	394	10	2.5%	0.5%	0

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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psychology_alt

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 51 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 27 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 19 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 6 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 3 pupils

Physical Disability 1 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

93.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

93.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

30.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree35%

agree50%

disagree8%

don't know8%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree25%

agree45%

disagree25%

strongly disagree5%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree35%

agree25%

disagree8%

strongly disagree5%

not applicable28%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

yes33%

no68%

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree15%

agree31%

disagree38%

strongly disagree15%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree35%

agree58%

disagree5%

strongly disagree3%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree40%

agree53%

disagree3%

strongly disagree3%

don't know3%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree45%

agree35%

disagree18%

don't know3%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree40%

agree55%

disagree3%

don't know3%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree58%

agree43%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree38%

agree45%

disagree8%

don't know10%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes90%

no10%

Top Primary Schools in Essex

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

View all arrow_forward

Kingston Primary School

Outstanding

location_on Thundersley, SS7 3HG

emoji_events #1 in LA

Lift Westerings

Good

location_on Hockley, SS5 4NZ

emoji_events #2 in LA

Quilters Junior School

Outstanding

location_on Billericay, CM12 9LD

emoji_events #3 in LA

Lee Chapel Primary School

Outstanding

location_on Basildon, SS16 5RU

emoji_events #4 in LA

Hereward Primary School

Outstanding

location_on Loughton, IG10 2HR

emoji_events #5 in LA

Perryfields Junior School

Outstanding

location_on Chelmsford, CM1 7PP

emoji_events #6 in LA

View all schools in Essex arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Essex

Kingston Primary School

Lift Westerings

Quilters Junior School

Lee Chapel Primary School

Hereward Primary School

Perryfields Junior School