The Downs Primary School and Nursery Catchment Area
The Downs Primary School and Nursery is an academy converter primary school in Harlow, Essex , serving pupils aged 3-11, with 402 pupils, and a capacity of 420 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
3-11
Age range
402
Pupils
420
Capacity
96%
Fill rate
Requires improvement
Ofsted 2023
The Downs Primary School and Nursery Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for The Downs Primary School and Nursery?
The catchment area for The Downs Primary School and Nursery 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, The Downs Primary School and Nursery 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.
Get an alert if The Downs Primary School and Nursery goes oversubscribed for 2027 →
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 →The Downs Primary School and Nursery: 420 places, 96% filled: nearing capacity
The Downs Primary School and Nursery has a published admission number of 420 places. 402 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 96%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 420, Essex's admissions team applies distance-based tiebreakers. Families within the school's historical catchment boundary are well placed, but a boundary check with the council is recommended before applying.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 30.3% of pupils at The Downs Primary School and Nursery 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) →
The Downs Primary School and Nursery: School Information
- Full address
- The Hides, Harlow, CM20 3RB
- Local authority
- Essex
- School type
- Academy converter
- Phase of education
- Primary
- Age range
- 3-11 years
- Free school meals
- 30.3% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 146157
Other Primary Schools in Harlow
If The Downs Primary School and Nursery is oversubscribed, these primary schools in Harlow are the next closest alternatives.
Matching Green Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · CM17 0QB
Churchgate Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Harlow Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · CM17 0LB
Church Langley Community Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · CM17 9TH
Hare Street Community Primary School and Nursery Catchment Area
Community school · CM19 4BU
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow Catchment Area
Academy converter · CM18 6JJ
St Alban's Catholic Academy Catchment Area
Academy converter · CM20 2NP
Nearest primary schools by distance
These are the primary schools closest to The Downs Primary School and Nursery 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions: The Downs Primary School and Nursery
What is the catchment area for The Downs Primary School and Nursery? ▾
The catchment area for The Downs Primary School and Nursery 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 The Downs Primary School and Nursery oversubscribed? ▾
The Downs Primary School and Nursery is operating close to its capacity of 420 places (96% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for The Downs Primary School and Nursery? ▾
Admission to The Downs Primary School and Nursery 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 The Downs Primary School and Nursery cover? ▾
The Downs Primary School and Nursery is a primary school in Harlow, Essex, serving pupils aged 3-11. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for The Downs Primary School and Nursery? ▾
The Downs Primary School and Nursery was rated Requires improvement by Ofsted in 2023. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.