Schools by area › Essex › Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 5–11 · Voluntary aided
School Hill, Birch, Colchester CO2 0LZ · birch.essex.sch.uk · 01206 330224
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Dec 2019
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 55%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Essex 63%, England 62%
- Last distance offered
- 3.06 mi
- 4.92 km · Reception, September 2025 entry · Essex Council
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 124
- 89% of 140 places
- Local authority
- Essex
- Free school meals
- 10.5%
- First language not English
- 0.8%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2025, the last place offered on distance went to a home 3.06 mi (4.92 km) from the school. Source: Essex Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 17 families put the school first and 20 places were offered; 94% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 20 | 17 | 0.9 | 94% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 20 | 19 | 1 | 89% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 17 | 15 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 20 | 19 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 16 | 15 | 0.9 | 100% |
Last distance offered
| Reception | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2025 | 3.06 mi4.92 km | |
Results
In 2024/25, 55% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 5% the higher standard. Across Essex it was 63%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▼55% | 62% | ||
| ▼5% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●106 | 106 | ||
| ●106 | 105 | ||
| ●106 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 3 December 2019, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework. An ungraded inspection in Feb 2025 found: Standards maintained.
- Outcome
- Standards maintained
- Inspected
- 25 Feb 2025
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Dec 2019
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Dec 2019Good
Quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Nov 2013Outstanding
Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Dec 2008Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good
What parents said
93% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (59 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 93%
- Replies
- 59
- 45% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 68% who raised concerns
based on the 24% who had a child bullied
based on 10 parents (17%) with SEND