Community school · Essex

North Primary School and Nursery

3–11Ages
458Pupils
PrimaryPhase
114709URN

John Harper Street, Colchester, CO1 1RP · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodSep 2012

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Mar 2023

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.8per place

0.5 below Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

105 applications for 57 places · 280th of 363 in Essex

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

47%met the expected standard

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodSep 2012

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Mar 2023

Inspection history

29 March 2023
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good
27 September 2012
Graded inspection: Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.8applications per place, Reception

0.5 below Essex median (2.4) 0.3 below England median (2.2)

105 applications · 57 places offered · 52 named it first

2026 1.8; Essex median median 2.4
2025 1.5; Essex median median 2.4
2024 2.1; Essex median median 2.4
2023 1.9; Essex median median 2.4
2022 2.1; Essex median median 2.4
2021 2.0; Essex median median 2.3
2020 2.2; Essex median median 2.4
2019 2.1; Essex median median 2.5
2018 2.1; Essex median median 2.5
2017 2.3; Essex median median 2.6
2016 2.6; Essex median median 2.8
2015 2.2; Essex median median 2.7
2014 2.7; Essex median median 2.8

More applications per place than the Essex median in 0 of 13 years.

This school
Essex median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	57	105	1.8	52	0.91
Sep 2025	59	91	1.5	57	0.97
Sep 2024	60	127	2.1	51	0.85
Sep 2023	59	113	1.9	56	0.95
Sep 2022	60	123	2.1	46	0.77
Sep 2021	60	121	2.0	56	0.93
Sep 2020	60	130	2.2	63	1.05
Sep 2019	59	124	2.1	67	1.14
Sep 2018	60	126	2.1	46	0.77
Sep 2017	60	135	2.3	54	0.90
Sep 2016	60	158	2.6	63	1.05
Sep 2015	60	133	2.2	62	1.03
Sep 2014	60	162	2.7	71	1.18

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 65% · Writing 55% · Maths 63% → all three 47% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard47%331st of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard65%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard30%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard55%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth3%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard63%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard33%

Essex 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Essex median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	47%	2%	105	104
2023/24	52%	3%	105	102
2022/23	54%	3%	105	104

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

North Primary School and NurseryThis school
This school

Remains Good2023

1.8applications per place 47%met the SATs standard
The Sixth Form College Colchester
0.5 km · Essex

Not yet inspected
St John's Green Primary School
1.1 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

2.3applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, Colchester
1.2 km · Essex

Outstanding2023

2.6applications per place 93%met the SATs standard
St James the Great Church of England Primary School
1.2 km · Essex

Standards maintained2025

1.8applications per place 48%met the SATs standard
Queen Boudica Primary School
1.3 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

2.2applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
Braiswick Primary School
1.6 km · Essex

Remains Good2024

1.9applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
Hamilton Primary School
1.6 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2025

3.1applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
Myland Community Primary School
1.9 km · Essex

Improved significantly2025

3.4applications per place 76%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 114709 · 881/2008
Capacity: 420 pupils · 458 on roll
Free school meals: 19.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: John Harper Street, Colchester, CO1 1RP
Local authority: Essex · Colchester

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources