Chelmsford County High School for Girls vs Colchester Royal Grammar School
Both are grammar schools in Essex, 20.5 miles apart. Side-by-side on official DfE, Ofsted and council admissions data.
Side by side
| Chelmsford County High School for Girls | Colchester Royal Grammar School | |
|---|---|---|
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary |
| Gender | Girls | Boys |
| Pupils on roll | 1,275 | 1,073 |
| Free school meals | 5.3% | 4.7% |
| Ofsted rating | Outstanding | Not published |
| Attainment 8 — 2025/26 | 81.4 | 80.9 |
| 11+ test board | FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise Ltd) | GL Assessment |
| Admission system | qualifying score is the minimum; places then go in score order (distance only breaks ties) | qualifying score is the minimum; places then go in score order (distance only breaks ties) |
| Places offered — 202627 | 179 | 128 |
| First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place | 2 | 2.19 |
Qualifying scores
Chelmsford County High School for Girls
No fixed pass mark. IMPORTANT: Chelmsford County High School for Girls is NOT in the CSSE consortium — it runs its own FSCE test. 2026-entry last-offer standardised scores were reported around 106-107 within the 12.5-mile priority area and 118-119 outside it (unofficial; verify with the school).
Colchester Royal Grammar School
372 (2025 entry)
Lowest score to secure a place on National Offer Day (no priority area). CSSE test. Spike vs 2024 (337) — large cohort variation.
These schools use different tests (FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise Ltd) and GL Assessment), so their pass marks are set on different scales and cannot be compared as numbers.
Who gets priority
Where a school is oversubscribed, these are the first criteria applied, in order. This is usually what decides an application.
Chelmsford County High School for Girls
- Looked after and previously looked after children scoring up to 5 marks below the eligible score, wherever they live
- Up to 30 places for girls on the Pupil or Service Premium scoring up to 5 marks below the eligible score and living within the 12.5-mile priority area since 31 October of Year 6
- The rest of 144 places in score order for girls with an eligible score living within the 12.5-mile priority area since 31 October of Year 6
- The remaining places (up to 36) in score order, wherever the girl lives
Source: school admissions policy.
Colchester Royal Grammar School
- Up to 12 places for boys scoring over 320 who are looked after / previously looked after (first) or on the Pupil Premium Grant — in score order
- All remaining places in score order, wherever the boy lives
Source: school admissions policy.
Choosing between them
Chelmsford County High School for Girls is a girls school and Colchester Royal Grammar School is a boys school, so for many families the starting point is which one can admit their child. The figures on this page are the published ones — they describe intakes and results, not what either school would be like for your child. The right choice depends on your family's own priorities and circumstances.
Other Essex comparisons
- Chelmsford County High School for Girls vs Colchester County High School for Girls
- Chelmsford County High School for Girls vs King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford
- Colchester County High School for Girls vs Colchester Royal Grammar School
- Colchester County High School for Girls vs King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford
- Colchester Royal Grammar School vs King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford
Have a specific question about admissions, scores or dates?
Ask SchoolsGPT