Community school · Essex

Gosbecks Primary School

5–11Ages
227Pupils
PrimaryPhase
114742URN

Owen Ward Close, Shrub End, Gosbecks Primary School, Colchester, CO2 9DG · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodSep 2014

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Feb 2024

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.9per place

0.5 above Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

63 applications for 22 places · 99th of 363 in Essex

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

53%met the expected standard

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodSep 2014

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Feb 2024

Inspection history

7 February 2024
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good
10 September 2014
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

2.9applications per place, Reception

0.5 above Essex median (2.4) 0.7 above England median (2.2)

63 applications · 22 places offered · 22 named it first

2026 2.9; Essex median median 2.4
2025 2.7; Essex median median 2.4
2024 3.1; Essex median median 2.4
2023 2.8; Essex median median 2.4
2022 2.7; Essex median median 2.4
2021 2.7; Essex median median 2.3
2020 2.9; Essex median median 2.4
2019 2.6; Essex median median 2.5
2018 2.4; Essex median median 2.5
2017 2.4; Essex median median 2.6
2016 2.6; Essex median median 2.8
2015 2.4; Essex median median 2.7
2014 2.1; Essex median median 2.8

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	22	63	2.9	22	1.00
Sep 2025	23	62	2.7	21	0.91
Sep 2024	28	87	3.1	26	0.93
Sep 2023	30	85	2.8	31	1.03
Sep 2022	30	80	2.7	32	1.07
Sep 2021	25	67	2.7	24	0.96
Sep 2020	42	121	2.9	38	0.90
Sep 2019	41	106	2.6	38	0.93
Sep 2018	45	108	2.4	31	0.69
Sep 2017	45	110	2.4	36	0.80
Sep 2016	45	119	2.6	26	0.58
Sep 2015	42	100	2.4	27	0.64
Sep 2014	45	93	2.1	27	0.60

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 71% · Writing 76% · Maths 60% → all three 53% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard53%295th of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard71%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard31%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard76%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth16%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard60%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard24%

Essex 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 102 (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	53%	11%	104	102
2023/24	46%	11%	103	102
2022/23	70%	16%	106	106

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

Gosbecks Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Remains Good2024

2.9applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
Prettygate Junior School
0.7 km · Essex

Remains Good · improving2024

77%met the SATs standard
Prettygate Infant School
0.7 km · Essex

Good2022

2.7applications per place
King's Ford Infant School and Nursery
0.9 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.2applications per place
Kings Ford Academy
0.9 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2025

29%met the SATs standard
St Michael's Primary School and Nursery, Colchester
1.2 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2025

3.0applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
Montgomery Primary School, Colchester
1.4 km · Essex

Improved significantly2025

1.6applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester
1.5 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2025

3.1applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
Home Farm Primary School
1.7 km · Essex

2026

4.1applications per place 75%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 114742 · 881/2054
Capacity: 216 pupils · 227 on roll
Free school meals: 21.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Owen Ward Close, Shrub End, Gosbecks Primary School, Colchester, CO2 9DG
Local authority: Essex · Colchester

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