SchoolFacts.uk

School admissions in Chelmsford

How heavily each school was applied to for September 2026 entry, from the applications and offers every admissions authority reports to the DfE. 18 of these schools also have a published admissions cutoff distance. Sorted by first preferences per place. We don't invent rankings: the order is arithmetic on a published figure, not a view about which school is better.

Chelmsford in figures

For Reception places in September 2026, families named the 51 schools in Chelmsford first 1,897 times for 1,896 places: 1.00 first choices per place, against 1.00 across the Essex authority's 411 schools. 15 of the 51 had more first choices than places. For 2026 entry, 12 schools here gave their last places on distance, from 0.22 miles (Perryfields Infant School) to 3.87 miles (Cold Norton Primary School).

For Year 7 places in September 2026, families named the 11 schools in Chelmsford first 2,545 times for 2,207 places: 1.15 first choices per place, against 1.00 across the Essex authority's 78 schools. 7 of the 11 had more first choices than places.

Totals for the schools listed on this page. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE; last-offer distances as the council published them.

Reception places, September 2026

51 schools. 15 received more first preferences than they had places.

SchoolFirst preferences per placePlacesCutoff distance
Maylandsea Primary SchoolChelmsford1.80300.328 miles 2026
Beehive Lane Community Primary SchoolChelmsford1.55290.444 miles 2026
Maltese Road Primary SchoolChelmsford1.53300.311 miles 2026
Perryfields Infant SchoolChelmsford1.48600.224 miles 2026
Boreham Primary SchoolChelmsford1.3829not published
The Beaulieu Park SchoolChelmsford1.37120not published
The Cathedral Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, ChelmsfordChelmsford1.3145not published
Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary SchoolChelmsford1.3030not published
Chancellor Park Primary School, ChelmsfordChelmsford1.2829not published
Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolChelmsford1.20151.888 miles 2026
Writtle Infant SchoolChelmsford1.18601.088 miles 2026
Hatfield Peverel Infant and Nursery SchoolChelmsford1.0760not published
Priory Primary School, BicknacreChelmsford1.05202.051 miles 2026
Cold Norton Primary SchoolChelmsford1.04233.874 miles 2026
Collingwood Primary SchoolCHELMSFORD1.03300.657 miles 2026
Ford End Church of England Primary SchoolChelmsford1.008not published
Parkwood AcademyChelmsford1.0019not published
Rettendon Primary SchoolChelmsford1.0011not published
Roxwell Church of England Primary SchoolChelmsford1.0013not published
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, SWFChelmsford1.0016not published
St Peter's Church of England Primary Academy, West HanningfieldChelmsford1.0011not published
Trinity St Mary's CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School, South Woodham FerrersChelmsford1.0010not published
Elmwood Primary SchoolChelmsford0.9852not published
Woodville Primary SchoolChelmsford0.9843not published
Lawford Mead Primary & NurseryChelmsford0.9544not published
Moulsham Infant SchoolChelmsford0.9583not published
Galleywood Infant SchoolCHELMSFORD0.9345not published
Little Waltham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolChelmsford0.93303.131 miles 2026
Great Waltham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolChelmsford0.9327not published
Newlands Spring Primary and Nursery SchoolChelmsford0.9248not published
Mildmay Primary SchoolChelmsford0.9168not published
Larkrise Primary SchoolChelmsford0.9021not published
St Mary's Church of England Primary SchoolChelmsford0.9010not published
Meadgate Primary SchoolChelmsford0.9029not published
Broomfield Primary SchoolChelmsford0.8760not published
Purleigh Community Primary SchoolChelmsford0.87303.373 miles 2026
St John Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School DanburyChelmsford0.8730not published
The Tyrrells SchoolChelmsford0.85590.944 miles 2026
Great Leighs Primary SchoolChelmsford0.8425not published
St Pius X Catholic Primary SchoolChelmsford0.8324not published
Baddow Hall Infant SchoolChelmsford0.8256not published
Barnes Farm Primary SchoolChelmsford0.8153not published
East Hanningfield Church of England Primary AcademyChelmsford0.7617not published
Westlands Community Primary SchoolChelmsford0.7680not published
Trinity Road Primary SchoolChelmsford0.7439not published
Oaklands Infant SchoolChelmsford0.7454not published
The Bishops' Church of England and Roman Catholic Primary SchoolChelmsford0.7156not published
Kings Road Primary SchoolChelmsford0.6939not published
Springfield Primary SchoolChelmsford0.6349not published
Christchurch Church of England Primary SchoolChelmsford0.5319not published
Highwood Primary SchoolChelmsford0.388not published

First preferences per place is the number of families naming the school first, divided by its published admission number. Above 1.00 means more first choices than places. It is not a ranking and not a measure of quality: a popular school can be easy to get into and a quiet one hard, because places are allocated by each school's own criteria, siblings and faith and banding first, with distance often the last tie-breaker. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE.

Year 7 places, September 2026

11 schools. 7 received more first preferences than they had places.

SchoolFirst preferences per placePlaces
King Edward VI Grammar School, ChelmsfordChelmsford2.77149
Chelmsford County High School for GirlsChelmsford2.00179
The Beaulieu Park SchoolChelmsford1.55116
Moulsham High SchoolChelmsford1.13265
Great Baddow High SchoolChelmsford1.09245
St John Payne Catholic School, ChelmsfordChelmsford1.03182
The Boswells SchoolChelmsford1.02241
William de Ferrers SchoolChelmsford0.97215
Chelmer Valley High SchoolChelmsford0.85231
The Sandon SchoolChelmsford0.77213
Hylands SchoolChelmsford0.16171

First preferences per place is the number of families naming the school first, divided by its published admission number. Above 1.00 means more first choices than places. It is not a ranking and not a measure of quality: a popular school can be easy to get into and a quiet one hard, because places are allocated by each school's own criteria, siblings and faith and banding first, with distance often the last tie-breaker. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE.