Voluntary controlled school · Essex

St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester

4–11Ages
210Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
115065URN

Clay Lane Grove, St Johns C of E Primary School, COLCHESTER, CO4 0HH · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodMay 2013

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Oct 2022

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

3.3per place

0.9 above Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

99 applications for 30 places · 47th of 363 in Essex

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

72%met the expected standard

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodMay 2013

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Oct 2022

Inspection history

5 October 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good
22 May 2013
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

3.3applications per place, Reception

0.9 above Essex median (2.4) 1.1 above England median (2.2)

99 applications · 30 places offered · 31 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 3.3; Essex median median 2.4
2025 3.3; Essex median median 2.4
2024 3.0; Essex median median 2.4
2023 3.7; Essex median median 2.4
2022 3.4; Essex median median 2.4
2021 3.7; Essex median median 2.3
2020 3.8; Essex median median 2.4
2019 4.2; Essex median median 2.5
2018 4.5; Essex median median 2.5
2017 5.9; Essex median median 2.6
2016 6.4; Essex median median 2.8
2015 5.7; Essex median median 2.7
2014 3.2; Essex median median 2.8

More applications per place than the Essex median in 13 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	30	99	3.3	31	1.03
Sep 2025	30	100	3.3	38	1.27
Sep 2024	28	85	3.0	25	0.89
Sep 2023	30	112	3.7	41	1.37
Sep 2022	30	103	3.4	33	1.10
Sep 2021	30	112	3.7	32	1.07
Sep 2020	30	115	3.8	34	1.13
Sep 2019	30	126	4.2	41	1.37
Sep 2018	30	135	4.5	34	1.13
Sep 2017	30	177	5.9	40	1.33
Sep 2016	30	193	6.4	51	1.70
Sep 2015	30	170	5.7	40	1.33
Sep 2014	60	190	3.2	48	0.80

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 88% · Writing 72% · Maths 78% → all three 72% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard72%122nd of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard88%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard44%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 108 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard72%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth22%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard78%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard38%

Essex 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 107 (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	72%	16%	108	107
2023/24	77%	3%	107	106
2022/23	61%	10%	104	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

St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, ColchesterThis school
This school

Remains Good2022

3.3applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
Highwoods Community Primary School
0.8 km · Essex

Remains Good · improving2024

2.6applications per place 78%met the SATs standard
Friars Grove Primary School
0.8 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

2.2applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
Brinkley Grove Primary School
0.9 km · Essex

Some aspects not as strong2024

2.3applications per place 76%met the SATs standard
Parsons Heath Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
1.3 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

2.2applications per place 47%met the SATs standard
Willow Brook Primary School and Nursery
1.4 km · Essex

Good2022

2.3applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Roach Vale Primary School
1.5 km · Essex

Good2023

2.7applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
Hazelmere Junior School
1.8 km · Essex

Good2022

38%met the SATs standard
Hazelmere Infant School and Nursery
1.8 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.7applications per place

School details

Type: Voluntary controlled school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 115065 · 881/3003
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 210 pupils · 210 on roll
Free school meals: 6.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Clay Lane Grove, St Johns C of E Primary School, COLCHESTER, CO4 0HH
Local authority: Essex · Colchester

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