Honywood School
Colchester, CO6 1PZ · Essex · secondary school
Check the area around this school
45th 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 the 820 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 0.8/10 among them, against 3.1/10 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% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 37.4 · 31 | 30% | 0.92 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.33 · 25 | 25% | 0.63 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 45.1 · 45 | 10% | 0.45 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Honywood School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 47.5% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 46.3, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 for 2023/24 was -0.33, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 1.9 out of 10 among them, against 4.5 out of 10 nationally. Ofsted rated the school Good in January 2023.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join the Duke of Edinburgh Award, Jack Petchey Learner Leadership, and Mock Magistrates clubs. Arts provision includes music lessons, dance workshops, and performances. Trips include visits to Berlin, science and natural history museums, theatre, PGL centres, and a ski trip to Austria.
Getting in
The published school roll is 849 pupils against a stated capacity of 800. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to improve their progress scores, which are below the national baseline? What specific support is available for pupils aiming to
What Ofsted said about Honywood School
Overview
The report describes a school where pupils enjoy learning and feel safe within a strong community. Leaders have established a broad, ambitious curriculum that is well-taught, ensuring pupils know more and remember more over time. The school is judged as ‘Good’ across all inspection categories.
Strengths
- Pupils are ‘polite and respectful’, striving to meet high expectations and live by core values of ‘trust, respect, equity and excellence’.
- Teachers deliver the curriculum effectively, using ‘well-structured questioning’ to check knowledge and adapt lessons so pupils can progress securely.
- Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are ‘well supported’ and achieve well, benefiting from effective strategies and a specialist autism support centre.
- Behaviour is managed effectively with ‘uncommon’ disruption, allowing pupils to learn in ‘calm and purposeful’ lessons.
- Staff appreciate support for their well-being and reasonable workloads, while governors provide ‘valuable feedback and challenge’ to leaders.
Areas to improve
- Leaders must continue to promote reading strategies to ensure all pupils become ‘confident readers with a love of reading’, as some do not read as well or often as they could.
- Leaders need to implement strategies to ‘rapidly improve pupils’ attendance’, as persistent absence remains too high and risks pupils falling behind.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are ‘effective’, with staff well trained to report concerns and records demonstrating that all issues are followed up ‘appropriately and in a timely manner’.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 45.1 |
| 2024/25 | 46.3 |
| 2025/26 | 45.1 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
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.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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