Schools by area › Essex › Colchester Academy
Colchester Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Sponsored academy
Hawthorn Avenue, Colchester CO4 3JL · colchesteracademy.org.uk · 01206 861217
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Mar 2023
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 38.5
- average Attainment 8 score. Essex 45.1, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.7
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 879
- 97% of 910 places
- Local authority
- Essex
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 42.1%
- First language not English
- 17.6%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 105 families put the school first and 160 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 160 | 105 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 166 | 109 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 154 | 116 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 170 | 121 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 176 | 116 | 0.7 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 38.5, and 31.3% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Essex it was 45.1, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼38.5 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼31.3% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼50.2% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼32.3% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.34 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 3.9 | −0.6 |
| Sixth form college | 26.3 | +5.7 |
| Further education | 46.4 | −3.9 |
| Apprenticeship | 1.7 | −0.9 |
| Employment | 3.9 | 0 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 10.6 | −2.9 |
| Activity not captured | 7.3 | +2.8 |
Ofsted
Colchester Academy was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 8 March 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 8 Mar 2023
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Dec 2017
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Dec 2017Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good Safeguarding Effective Dec 2015Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective
What parents said
55% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (62 replies, to 1 January 2024).
- Recommend
- 55%
- Replies
- 62
- 7% · 1 Jan 2024
based on the 85% who raised concerns
based on the 52% who had a child bullied
based on 20 parents (32%) with SEND