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William de Ferrers School

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy

Trinity Square, South Woodham Ferrers, Chelmsford CM3 5JU · wdf.school · 01245 326326

On the mapSearch near CM3 5JU

Overview

Ofsted
No overall grade
2019 framework · inspected Sept 2024
GCSEs, 2024/25
44.1
average Attainment 8 score. Essex 45.1, England 46
Demand for places
1.0
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
1,237
60% of 2,076 places
Local authority
Essex
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
13.9%
First language not English
2.1%
School census 2025/26
Trust
The Chelmsford Learning Partnership

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 208 families put the school first and 215 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 155 (Places 175)155September 2023: 209 (Places 274)209September 2024: 170 (Places 216)170September 2025: 202 (Places 216)202September 2026: 208 (Places 215)208Places 215
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20262152081100%
September 2025Sept 20252162020.9100%
September 2024Sept 20242161700.8100%
September 2023Sept 20232742090.8100%
September 2022Sept 20221751550.9100%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 44.1, and 38.9% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Essex it was 45.1, and across England 46.

In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C (30.1 points per entry).

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 45.9 (England 46.3)45.92017/18: 44.1 (England 46.5)44.12018/19: 42.3 (England 46.7)42.32021/22: 43.5 (England 48.8)43.52022/23: 38.7 (England 46.3)38.72023/24: 41.2 (England 45.9)41.22024/25: 44.1 (England 46.0)44.1England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
●44.146.0
▼38.9%45.4%
▲69.0%64.8%
▼9.7%40.5%
▼3.574.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form37.6−9.3
Further education44+8.3
Other education0.50
Apprenticeship6+3.1
Employment3.2−1.6
Not in a lasting destination3.7−2.1
Activity not captured5+2.1

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252015/16: 29.7 (England 30.5)C2016/17: 31.8 (England 31.1)C+2017/18: 27.8 (England 32.1)C-2018/19: 27.7 (England 32.9)C-2021/22: 31.8 (England 37.9)C+2022/23: 27.2 (England 34.2)C-2023/24: 26.2 (England 34.4)C-2024/25: 30.1 (England 35.0)CEngland 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
53 studentsC (30.1)Average -0.04
54 studentsC (30.3)Average -0.05
23 studentsDist (36.1)Well above average +0.82
7 studentsDist+ (40)Above average +0.87
14.3%AAB or better
75.6%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/2481C- (26.2)-0.09
2022/2370C- (27.2)—
2021/2289C+ (31.8)—
2018/19112C- (27.7)-0.32
2017/18106C- (27.8)-0.38
2016/17159C+ (31.8)+0.06
2015/16163C (29.7)-0.04

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University32.6−11.5
Apprenticeship10.1−1.7
Employment49.4+17.1
Not in a lasting destination5.6−0.9
Activity not captured2.2−2.1

Ofsted

Ofsted inspected William de Ferrers School on 24 September 2024 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.

Overall
No overall grade
Inspected
24 Sept 2024
Graded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Graded areas

Quality of educationRequires improvement
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood
Sixth formGood

Previously: Remains Good, ungraded inspection, Dec 2018

Earlier inspections

Before September 2019

  • Dec 2018Ungraded inspectionRemains Good
    SafeguardingEffective
  • May 2015Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    16 to 19 study programmesRequires improvement
  • Jun 2013Requires improvement
    Outcomes for pupilsRequires improvement
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentRequires improvement
    Leadership and managementRequires improvement

What parents said

68% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (159 replies, to 1 September 2025).

Recommend
68%
Replies
159
13% · 1 Sept 2025
Child is happy at school▼80% agreeEngland 89%
Child feels safe▼79% agreeEngland 90%
Pupils are well behaved▼65% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations▼70% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well▼70% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn▼54% agreeEngland 84%
Told how child is doing▼67% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects▼83% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities▼85% agreeEngland 91%
Supports personal development▼44% agreeEngland 79%
Concerns are dealt with properly▼55% agreeEngland 77%

based on the 77% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▼42% agreeEngland 50%

based on the 36% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▼38% agreeEngland 67%

based on 41 parents (26%) with SEND

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