SchoolFacts.uk

School admissions in Colchester

How heavily each school was applied to for September 2026 entry, from the applications and offers every admissions authority reports to the DfE. 22 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.

Colchester in figures

For Reception places in September 2026, families named the 68 schools in Colchester first 2,367 times for 2,372 places: 1.00 first choices per place. 18 of the 68 had more first choices than places. For 2026 entry, 14 schools here gave their last places on distance, from 0.22 miles (Baynards Primary School) to 4.51 miles (Heathlands Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, West Bergholt).

For Year 7 places in September 2026, families named the 15 schools in Colchester first 3,177 times for 3,057 places: 1.04 first choices per place. 7 of the 15 had more first choices than places. For 2026 entry, one school here gave its last places on distance: East Bergholt High School, to 6.69 miles.

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

68 schools. 18 received more first preferences than they had places.

SchoolFirst preferences per placePlacesCutoff distance
Kendall Church of England Primary SchoolColchester1.9030not published
Baynards Primary SchoolColchester1.57140.224 miles 2026
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, ColchesterColchester1.37303.001 miles 2026
Myland Community Primary SchoolColchester1.2945not published
Kelvedon St Mary's Church of England Primary AcademyColchester1.2860not published
Lexden Primary School with Unit for Hearing Impaired PupilsColchester1.28290.634 miles 2026
St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, ColchesterColchester1.2631not published
Home Farm Primary SchoolColchester1.20590.925 miles 2026
Copford Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolColchester1.20301.461 miles 2026
Alresford Primary SchoolColchester1.1730not published
Boxted St Peter's Church of England SchoolColchester1.17302.646 miles 2026
Highwoods Community Primary SchoolColchester1.17600.785 miles 2026
Fingringhoe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolColchester1.1315not published
Langenhoe Community Primary SchoolColchester1.13151.704 miles 2026
Tiptree Heath Primary SchoolColchester1.07300.901 miles 2026
St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, ColchesterCOLCHESTER1.03301.225 miles 2026
St Luke's Church of England Controlled Primary SchoolColchester1.02450.49 miles 2026
Brightlingsea Primary School and NurseryColchester1.0175not published
Ardleigh St Mary's Church of England Primary AcademyColchester1.004not published
Chappel CofE Controlled Primary SchoolColchester1.0013not published
Fordham All Saints CofE Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolColchester1.0014not published
Gosbecks Primary SchoolColchester1.0022not published
Great Tey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolColchester1.008not published
Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Eight Ash Green and AldhamColchester1.007not published
King's Ford Infant School and NurseryColchester1.0025not published
Mersea Island SchoolColchester1.0041not published
Messing Primary SchoolColchester1.00121.227 miles 2026
Parsons Heath Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolColchester1.0029not published
St Michael's Primary School and Nursery, ColchesterColchester1.0020not published
Willow Brook Primary School and NurseryColchester1.009not published
Montgomery Primary School, ColchesterColchester0.9971not published
Brinkley Grove Primary SchoolColchester0.9841not published
Hazelmere Infant School and NurseryColchester0.9736not published
Millfields Primary SchoolColchester0.9730not published
Layer-de-la-Haye Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolColchester0.9729not published
Stanway Fiveways Primary SchoolColchester0.9648not published
Earls Colne Primary School and NurseryColchester0.9647not published
St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, RowhedgeColchester0.9647not published
St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, CoggeshallColchester0.9645not published
Roach Vale Primary SchoolColchester0.9521not published
Elmstead Primary SchoolColchester0.9520not published
Monkwick Infant and Nursery SchoolColchester0.9436not published
Cherry Tree AcademyColchester0.9315not published
Heathlands Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, West BergholtColchester0.93594.511 miles 2026
Dedham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolColchester0.9329not published
Hamilton Primary SchoolColchester0.9357not published
Queen Boudica Primary SchoolColchester0.9253not published
St John's Green Primary SchoolColchester0.9260not published
Braiswick Primary SchoolColchester0.9158not published
North Primary School and NurseryColchester0.9157not published
Unity Primary AcademyColchester0.9134not published
Great Bentley Primary SchoolColchester0.9155not published
Broomgrove Infant SchoolColchester0.9132not published
Old Heath Community Primary SchoolColchester0.9021not published
Lakelands Primary SchoolColchester0.9048not published
Prettygate Infant SchoolColchester0.8955not published
The Bishop William Ward Church of England Primary SchoolColchester0.8918not published
Stanway Primary SchoolColchester0.8944not published
Feering Church of England Primary SchoolColchester0.8825not published
Langham Primary AcademyColchester0.8614not published
Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolColchester0.85203.433 miles 2026
St James the Great Church of England Primary SchoolColchester0.8457not published
Friars Grove Primary SchoolColchester0.8443not published
St. George's SchoolColchester0.8455not published
Camulos AcademyColchester0.8358not published
St George's Church of England Primary School, Great BromleyColchester0.8217not published
St Andrew's Church of England Primary Academy, Marks TeyColchester0.7929not published
Milldene Primary SchoolColchester0.4626not 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

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

SchoolFirst preferences per placePlacesCutoff distance
Colchester Royal Grammar SchoolColchester2.19128not published
Colchester County High School for GirlsColchester1.69190not published
The Gilberd SchoolColchester1.31306not published
The Thomas Lord Audley SchoolColchester1.30185not published
St Benedict's Catholic CollegeColchester1.23173not published
Honywood SchoolColchester1.07179not published
East Bergholt High SchoolColchester1.031896.691 miles 2026
The Stanway SchoolColchester0.93273not published
Colne Community SchoolColchester0.91256not published
Philip Morant School and CollegeColchester0.81305not published
Thurstable SchoolColchester0.80184not published
The Trinity SchoolColchester0.71177not published
Colchester AcademyColchester0.66160not published
St Helena SchoolColchester0.65178not published
Paxman AcademyColchester0.60174not 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.