The Gilberd School
Colchester, CO4 9PU · Essex · secondary school
9th 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 740 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 6.9/10 among them, against 8.0/10 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 | 94 | 35% | 3.28 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2024/25 | 58.2 · 80 | 30% | 2.39 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.44 · 81 | 25% | 2.03 |
| Attainment 8 2024/25 | 53.4 · 81 | 10% | 0.81 |
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. The school was rated Outstanding by Ofsted in March 2025. In 2024/25, 58.2% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 53.4, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.44 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did better 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 6.9 out of 10 among them, against 8.0 out of 10 nationally.
Getting in. There are 1574 pupils in a school with 1600 places, leaving 26 spare places. The school is close to full, so places are likely to be competitive.
Worth asking on a visit. How does the school support pupils in raising their attainment to match the national median? What specific opportunities exist for students to develop interests outside the core curriculum? How does the school manage the competitive nature of admissions for the remaining places?
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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