Schools by area › Essex › The Sandon School
The Sandon School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy
Molrams Lane, Sandon, Chelmsford CM2 7AQ · sandon.essex.sch.uk · 01245 473611
Overview
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement
- 2019 framework · inspected Mar 2024
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 46.6
- average Attainment 8 score. Essex 45.1, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.8
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,218
- 97% of 1,253 places
- Local authority
- Essex
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 15.3%
- First language not English
- 5.7%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 164 families put the school first and 213 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 | 213 | 164 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 211 | 158 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 212 | 179 | 0.8 | 89% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 212 | 202 | 1 | 90% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 216 | 188 | 0.9 | 90% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 46.6, and 42.3% 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 (30.5 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ●46.6 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼42.3% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲70.2% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼24.5% | 40.5% | ||
| ●3.92 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 34.8 | −10.3 |
| Sixth form college | 5.4 | +1.7 |
| Further education | 46.6 | +8.5 |
| Apprenticeship | 3.2 | −2.4 |
| Employment | 3.6 | +0.3 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 5 | +3.1 |
| Activity not captured | 1.4 | 0 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 92 students | C (30.5) | Average +0.03 | |
| 92 students | C (30.6) | Average +0.03 | |
| 41 students | Dist- (32.2) | Above average +0.27 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 100 | C- (27.4) | -0.10 |
| 2022/23 | 91 | C (29) | — |
| 2021/22 | 111 | C+ (34) | — |
| 2018/19 | 87 | C (30.9) | -0.04 |
| 2017/18 | 102 | C+ (32.4) | -0.02 |
| 2016/17 | 96 | C+ (32) | +0.17 |
| 2015/16 | 97 | C (29) | -0.05 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 48 | −5.9 |
| Apprenticeship | 7.8 | +1.7 |
| Employment | 28.4 | +2.3 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 8.8 | −0.8 |
| Activity not captured | 6.9 | +4.3 |
Ofsted
The Sandon School was judged Requires improvement at its last graded inspection, on 19 March 2024, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Requires improvement
- Inspected
- 19 Mar 2024
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Requires improvement |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Requires improvement |
| Sixth form | Requires improvement |
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Dec 2013
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Mar 2018Monitoring visit
Safeguarding Effective Dec 2013Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Mar 2011Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement
What parents said
71% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (188 replies, to 6 January 2025).
- Recommend
- 71%
- Replies
- 188
- 15% · 6 Jan 2025
based on the 86% who raised concerns
based on the 47% who had a child bullied
based on 56 parents (30%) with SEND