John Ray Junior School Catchment Area
John Ray Junior School is an academy sponsor led primary school in Braintree, Essex , serving pupils aged 7-11, with 436 pupils, and a capacity of 432 places. The school is currently at or above capacity, making catchment area proximity important for admissions.
7-11
Age range
436
Pupils
432
Capacity
101%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2020
John Ray Junior School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for John Ray Junior School?
The catchment area for John Ray Junior School is the geographic zone Essex uses to prioritise admissions when this primary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Essex publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
As an academy, John Ray Junior School sets its own admissions criteria, agreed with Essex. The catchment area boundary is defined in the school's annual admissions policy, which may differ from the LA's general school admissions arrangements.
Not getting a place? Learn how to appeal a school place →
Want the cut-off distance before you apply? Get an alert when Essex publishes the 2027 John Ray Junior School numbers →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Essex before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find Essex catchment area documents →John Ray Junior School: at or above its 432 place limit
John Ray Junior School has a published admission number of 432 places. 436 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 101%. The school is at or above its published limit of 432 places. Essex allocates places using ranked criteria: looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment distance. The last-distance figure is likely to remain tight if demand holds at this level.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 27.3% of pupils at John Ray Junior School are eligible for free school meals, broadly in line with the national average. This reflects a mixed catchment population across Essex.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Essex publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Essex Council school admissions (official) →
John Ray Junior School: School Information
- Full address
- Notley Road, Braintree, CM7 1HL
- Local authority
- Essex
- School type
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase of education
- Primary
- Age range
- 7-11 years
- Free school meals
- 27.3% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 143538
Other Primary Schools in Braintree
If John Ray Junior School is oversubscribed, these primary schools in Braintree are the next closest alternatives.
John Bunyan Primary School and Nursery Catchment Area
Community school · CM7 5UL
Great Bardfield Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · CM7 4RN
Great Bradfords Junior School Catchment Area
Community school · CM7 9LW
White Court School Catchment Area
Community school · CM77 7UE
Great Bradfords Infant and Nursery School Catchment Area
Community school · CM7 9LW
Wethersfield CofE VC Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · CM7 4BP
Nearest primary schools by distance
These are the primary schools closest to John Ray Junior School by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · Braintree · 1.0 miles away
Notley Green Primary School Catchment Area
Academy converter · Braintree · 1.0 miles away
St Francis Catholic Primary School, Braintree Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · Braintree · 1.1 miles away
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: John Ray Junior School
What is the catchment area for John Ray Junior School? ▾
The catchment area for John Ray Junior School is the geographic zone Essex uses to prioritise admissions when this primary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Essex publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is John Ray Junior School oversubscribed? ▾
Yes, John Ray Junior School currently has 436 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 432 places. Catchment area proximity is an important admissions criterion when applying.
What is the admissions policy for John Ray Junior School? ▾
Admission to John Ray Junior School is managed by Essex. When oversubscribed, places go to looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment area distance. Always verify the current policy with the council before applying.
What age range does John Ray Junior School cover? ▾
John Ray Junior School is a primary school in Braintree, Essex, serving pupils aged 7-11. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for John Ray Junior School? ▾
John Ray Junior School was rated Good by Ofsted in 2020. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.