Ofsted school ratings in Essex
In Essex (East of England), 218 of 246 graded state-funded schools are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — a Good-or-Outstanding rate of 88.6%. That is 1.4 percentage points above the England-wide rate of 87.2%, based on Ofsted’s management information as at 31 May 2026.
- Good or Outstanding
- 88.6%
- England 87.2%
- Outstanding
- 22
- Good
- 196
- Requires improvement
- 23
- Inadequate
- 5
- Graded schools
- 246
- rank 77/145
Ofsted overall-effectiveness grades in Essex (31 May 2026)
| Grade | Schools in Essex | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding | 22 | 8.9% |
| Good | 196 | 79.7% |
| Requires improvement | 23 | 9.3% |
| Inadequate | 5 | 2.0% |
The Good-or-Outstanding rate is derived from these real counts as (Outstanding + Good) ÷ all graded schools. Schools last inspected on or after 1 September 2024 carry no overall-effectiveness grade and are excluded, per Ofsted’s published methodology.
By school phase in Essex
| Phase | Outstanding | Good | RI | Inadequate | Good+Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | 15 | 160 | 14 | 2 | 91.6% |
| Secondary | 5 | 30 | 9 | 2 | 76.1% |
| Special | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 87.5% |
Areas with a similar Good-or-Outstanding rate
- Cumberland88.9%
- East Riding of Yorkshire88.9%
- Trafford88.6%
- Solihull88.6%
- Cheshire West and Chester88.3%
- Central Bedfordshire88.1%
Frequently asked questions
- How many schools in Essex are rated Good or Outstanding?
- 218 of 246 graded state-funded schools in Essex hold an Ofsted overall-effectiveness grade of Good or Outstanding — a Good-or-Outstanding rate of 88.6%. That figure is derived from Ofsted's real inspection counts as at 31 May 2026. Across England the rate is 87.2%.
- How many Outstanding schools does Essex have?
- Essex has 22 schools rated Outstanding and 196 rated Good, out of 246 graded state-funded schools, according to Ofsted management information as at 31 May 2026.
- Are there any Inadequate schools in Essex?
- 5 state-funded schools are rated Inadequate in Essex, and 23 rated Requires improvement, out of 246 graded schools (Ofsted, as at 31 May 2026).
- What is the Good-or-Outstanding rate for primary and secondary schools in Essex?
- By phase in Essex: 91.6% of 191 primary schools; 76.1% of 46 secondary schools; 87.5% of 8 special schools are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted (as at 31 May 2026).
- How does Essex compare with the rest of England for school ratings?
- Essex ranks 77 of 145 English local authorities (those with at least 20 graded schools) by Ofsted Good-or-Outstanding rate, at 88.6% versus the England-wide 87.2% (as at 31 May 2026).
Reference period: latest inspections as at 31 May 2026 (Ofsted management information, published 2026-06-18). Source: Ofsted — State-funded school inspections and outcomes: management information. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Ofsted. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.