Schools by area › Essex › St Helena School
St Helena School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Academy
Sheepen Road, Colchester CO3 3LE · st-helena.essex.sch.uk · 01206 572253
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Jan 2024
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 46
- average Attainment 8 score. Essex 45.1, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.7
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 986
- 99% of 1,000 places
- Local authority
- Essex
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 33.5%
- First language not English
- 20.1%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- The Sigma Trust
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 116 families put the school first and 178 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 | 178 | 116 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 186 | 122 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 175 | 131 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 194 | 143 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 195 | 137 | 0.7 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 46, and 36.3% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ●46 | 46 | ||
| ▼36.3% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼60.3% | 64.8% | ||
| ●41.7% | 40.5% | ||
| ●4.01 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 4.1 | −0.6 |
| Sixth form college | 38.8 | −0.8 |
| Further education | 42.9 | +9 |
| Apprenticeship | 0.5 | −1.1 |
| Employment | 2.6 | −3.1 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 6.1 | −4.3 |
| Activity not captured | 5.1 | +2 |
Ofsted
St Helena School was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 30 January 2024, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 30 Jan 2024
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
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 Jun 2014Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good
What parents said
71% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (98 replies, to 6 January 2025).
- Recommend
- 71%
- Replies
- 98
- 10% · 6 Jan 2025
based on the 79% who raised concerns
based on the 45% who had a child bullied
based on 21 parents (21%) with SEND