Water Lane Primary Academy food hygiene rating
School/college/university · Harlow
Water Lane Primary Academy holds a 3: generally satisfactory. The school kitchen met the legal standard, but the inspector recorded enough minor issues that it fell short of a good or very good rating.
The rating: 3 - Generally satisfactory
The rating dates from 24 April 2026, 2 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.
Address: Broadley Road, Harlow, Essex, CM19 5RD
How it compares in Harlow
In Harlow, 81% of rated places manage a 5, so Water Lane Primary Academy sits behind roughly 575 nearby businesses. 4% of the borough shares its 3.
| 5 out of 5 | 497 | 81% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 78 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 25 | 4% | ← Water Lane Primary Academy | |
| 2 out of 5 | 4 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 5 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 76 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At Water Lane Primary Academy none of the three raised a concern, the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, so a clean sweep is what produces a high score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Water Lane Primary Academy, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashlyns Organics Ltd At Katherines Primary Academy School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 March 2025 |
| Ashlyns Organics Ltd At Jerounds Primary School School/college/university | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 September 2025 |
| Akhter Early Learning Centre Caring Premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 May 2026 |
| Chicken Corner Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 May 2026 |
| BG Food Shop TRAPEZA Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 January 2022 |
| Community Embrace UK Other catering premises | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 August 2025 |
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 April 2026 |
| Dorringtons Retailers - other | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 February 2026 |
Questions about Water Lane Primary Academy
What is Water Lane Primary Academy's food hygiene rating?
Water Lane Primary Academy has a food hygiene rating of 3 out of 5 (generally satisfactory), given by Harlow Council on 24 April 2026.
Is Water Lane Primary Academy safe to eat at?
A 3 means the school kitchen met the legal standard, so it is lawful to eat there, but the inspector recorded issues that stopped it scoring higher. It is the middle of the scale.
When was Water Lane Primary Academy last inspected?
Water Lane Primary Academy was last inspected on 24 April 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Harlow Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Water Lane Primary Academy?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Water Lane Primary Academy compare to other places in Harlow?
81% of the 611 rated food businesses in Harlow hold the top rating of 5, while Water Lane Primary Academy holds a 3. 25 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Harlow Council inspects Water Lane Primary Academy and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch Water Lane Primary Academy and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Harlow inspects and rates 687 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Harlow →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.harlow.gov.uk/
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →