Colchester County High School for Girls vs Colchester Royal Grammar School
Both are grammar schools in Essex, 0.5 miles apart. Side-by-side on official DfE, Ofsted and council admissions data.
Side by side
| Colchester County High School for Girls | Colchester Royal Grammar School | |
|---|---|---|
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary |
| Gender | Girls | Boys |
| Pupils on roll | 1,198 | 1,073 |
| Free school meals | 2.5% | 4.7% |
| Ofsted rating | Outstanding | Not published |
| Attainment 8 — 2025/26 | 79.7 | 80.9 |
| 11+ test board | GL Assessment | 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 | 190 | 128 |
| First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place | 1.69 | 2.19 |
Qualifying scores
Colchester County High School for Girls
322 (2025 entry)
Lowest score to secure a place on National Offer Day (no priority area). CSSE test.
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.
Who gets priority
Where a school is oversubscribed, these are the first criteria applied, in order. This is usually what decides an application.
Colchester County High School for Girls
- Looked after and previously looked after children scoring 320 or more
- Up to 20 places for the highest-scoring girls eligible for the Pupil Premium (free school meals now or in the last six years) scoring 320 or more
- Up to 10 places for the highest-scoring girls eligible for the Service Pupil Premium scoring 320 or more and living in the 25-mile priority area
- Places in score order for girls living in the 25-mile priority area, until 154 places have gone
- The remaining 38 places 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
Colchester 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 Colchester Royal Grammar School
- Chelmsford County High School for Girls vs King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford
- Colchester County High School for Girls vs King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford
- Colchester Royal Grammar School vs King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford
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