Colchester Academy
Colchester, CO4 3JL · Essex · secondary school
61st of 78 secondary schools in Essex we can score, 81 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still — 2.2/10 against 485 of them, against 1.3/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.81 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2024/25 | 31.3 · 20 | 30% | 0.59 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.91 · 4 | 25% | 0.10 |
| Attainment 8 2024/25 | 38.5 · 15 | 10% | 0.15 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Get to know the school
How it's doing. In 2024/25, 31.3% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 38.5, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.91 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (2.2 out of 10 against similar schools, 1.3 out of 10 against all schools). Ofsted rated the school Good in May 2023.
Beyond the classroom. Pupils can join Chess, Drama, Science, and Dungeons & Dragons clubs, or play basketball, rugby, and netball. Art is taught to all students. Both breakfast and after-school clubs are available.
Getting in. There are 899 pupils in a school with 910 places, leaving 11 spare spots. The school is close to full, so places are likely to be competitive.
Worth asking on a visit. How does the school support pupils to close the gap between their current attainment and the national median? What specific strategies are used to improve Progress 8 scores for students from similar backgrounds? How does the school manage the competitive nature of admissions with only 11 places remaining?
Written by AI from this school's published results, inspection record and its own website — not by Ofsted, the school, or SchoolsGPT staff. Every figure above comes from the sources on this page. Check anything that matters with the school.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
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