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Colchester Royal Grammar School vs King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford

Both are grammar schools in Essex, 20.7 miles apart. Side-by-side on official DfE, Ofsted and council admissions data.

Side by side

Colchester Royal Grammar School King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford
Phase Secondary Secondary
Gender Boys Mixed
Pupils on roll 1,059 1,138
Free school meals 4.5% 2%
Ofsted rating Inadequate Outstanding
Attainment 8 — 2024/25 82.1 83.3
A-level average points — 2024/25 51.32 49.05
11+ test board GL Assessment GL Assessment
Admission system pass/fail then criteria order pass/fail then criteria order
Places offered — 202627 128 149
First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place 2.19 2.77

Qualifying scores

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.

Council source ↗

King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford

343 (2025 entry)

Lowest score inside 12.5-mile priority area on National Offer Day. Outside area cutoff: 355. CSSE test.

Council source ↗

Who gets priority

Where a school is oversubscribed, these are the first criteria applied, in order. This is usually what decides an application.

Colchester Royal Grammar School

  1. Looked after children and previously looked after children
  2. Children with exceptional medical/social needs
  3. Children from designated feeder primary schools or living in defined priority area
  4. Siblings of children on roll at the school

Source: school admissions policy.

King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford

  1. Looked after children and previously looked after children
  2. Children with exceptional medical/social needs
  3. Children from designated feeder primary schools or living in defined priority area
  4. Siblings of children on roll at the school

Source: school admissions policy.

Choosing between them

Colchester Royal Grammar School is a boys school and King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford is a mixed 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.

Full detail for each school: Colchester Royal Grammar School · King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford
Or see all secondary schools in Essex ranked.

Other Essex comparisons

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