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Helena Romanes School

All-through · Mixed · Ages 4–18 · Academy

Parsonage Downs, Great Dunmow CM6 2AU · helena-romanes.essex.sch.uk · 01371 872560

On the mapSearch near CM6 2AU

Overview

Ofsted
Good
2019 framework · inspected Oct 2023
GCSEs, 2024/25
46.6
average Attainment 8 score. Essex 45.1, England 46
Last distance offered
No limit
Reception, September 2025 entry · Essex Council
Demand for places
0.7
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
1,265
79% of 1,593 places
Local authority
Essex
Sixth form
Yes
Nursery class
No
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
18.1%
First language not English
5.1%
School census 2025/26
Trust
Saffron Academy Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Reception in September 2025, everyone who applied was offered a place. Source: Essex Council’s document.

For Year 7 in September 2026, 142 families put the school first and 199 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: 173 (Places 234)173September 2023: 175 (Places 212)175September 2024: 151 (Places 189)151September 2025: 165 (Places 196)165September 2026: 142 (Places 199)142Places 199
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20261991420.7100%
September 2025Sept 20251961650.8100%
September 2024Sept 20241891510.8100%
September 2023Sept 20232121750.8100%
September 2022Sept 20222341730.7100%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 46.6, and 49.5% 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 D+ (25 points per entry).

Key stage 2 results

2024/25SchoolEngland
Reading, writing and maths
Expected standardn/a62%
Higher standardn/a8%
Average scaled score
Readingn/a106
Mathsn/a105
Grammar and spellingn/a105

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 47.2 (England 46.3)47.22017/18: 44.3 (England 46.5)44.32018/19: 44.7 (England 46.7)44.72021/22: 49.0 (England 48.8)49.02022/23: 45.1 (England 46.3)45.12023/24: 42.1 (England 45.9)42.12024/25: 46.6 (England 46.0)46.6England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
●46.646.0
▲49.5%45.4%
▲70.3%64.8%
▼34.9%40.5%
●4.094.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form43.5−6.3
Sixth form college1.1−2
Further education40.1+7.9
Apprenticeship2.8−0.7
Employment2.8−0.3
Not in a lasting destination7.9+1.3
Activity not captured1.7+0.8

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: 20.9 (England 30.5)D2016/17: 24.8 (England 31.1)D+2017/18: 22.4 (England 32.1)D+2018/19: 23.3 (England 32.9)D+2021/22: 33.1 (England 37.9)C+2022/23: 30.1 (England 34.2)C2023/24: 29.1 (England 34.4)C2024/25: 25.0 (England 35.0)D+England 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
76 studentsD+ (25)Below average -0.54
77 studentsC- (25.3)Below average -0.51
62 studentsMerit- (20.9)Below average -0.47
0%AAB or better
95.5%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/2473C (29.1)-0.31
2022/2343C (30.1)—
2021/2248C+ (33.1)—
2018/1949D+ (23.3)-0.53
2017/1886D+ (22.4)-0.16
2016/1777D+ (24.8)-0.36
2015/1687D (20.9)-0.39

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University38.6−6.6
Further education2.4+0.8
Apprenticeship6+2.8
Employment38.6+4.7
Not in a lasting destination8.4−2.9
Activity not captured6+1.2

Ofsted

Helena Romanes School was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 10 October 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.

Overall
Good
Inspected
10 Oct 2023
Graded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Graded areas

Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood
Early yearsGood
Sixth formGood

Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Oct 2019

Earlier inspections

September 2019 to November 2025

  • Oct 2019Requires improvement
    Quality of educationRequires improvement
    Behaviour and attitudesGood
    Personal developmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    Sixth formGood
    SafeguardingEffective

Before September 2019

  • Nov 2012Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
  • May 2010Requires improvement
    Outcomes for pupilsRequires improvement
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentRequires improvement
    Leadership and managementGood
    16 to 19 study programmesRequires improvement

What parents said

77% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (264 replies, to 2 September 2024).

Recommend
77%
Replies
264
2 Sept 2024
Child is happy at school▼82% agreeEngland 88%
Child feels safe▼83% agreeEngland 89%
Pupils are well behaved▼72% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations▼74% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well▼80% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn▼61% agreeEngland 83%
Told how child is doing▼77% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects●92% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities▲95% agreeEngland 90%
Supports personal development▼64% agreeEngland 79%
Concerns are dealt with properly▼65% agreeEngland 74%

based on the 75% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▼44% agreeEngland 49%

based on the 41% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▼35% agreeEngland 67%

based on 42 parents (16%) with SEND

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