Voluntary aided school · Essex

The Bishop William Ward Church of England Primary School

4–11Ages
203Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
115144URN

Coach Road, Great Horkesley, Colchester, CO6 4AT · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 2025 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.6per place

0.2 above Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

47 applications for 18 places · 123rd of 363 in Essex

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

63%met the expected standard

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 4 March 2025Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Inspection history

4 March 2025
Graded inspection, no overall grade
11 March 2020
Ungraded inspection: School remains 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

2.6applications per place, Reception

0.2 above Essex median (2.4) 0.4 above England median (2.2)

47 applications · 18 places offered · 16 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.6; Essex median median 2.4
2025 2.7; Essex median median 2.4
2024 2.1; Essex median median 2.4
2023 2.4; Essex median median 2.4
2022 2.7; Essex median median 2.4
2021 2.7; Essex median median 2.3
2020 3.0; Essex median median 2.4
2019 3.8; Essex median median 2.5
2018 3.0; Essex median median 2.5
2017 2.5; Essex median median 2.6
2016 3.1; Essex median median 2.8
2015 2.9; Essex median median 2.7
2014 2.6; 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	18	47	2.6	16	0.89
Sep 2025	19	52	2.7	19	1.00
Sep 2024	26	54	2.1	24	0.92
Sep 2023	27	66	2.4	25	0.93
Sep 2022	23	61	2.7	18	0.78
Sep 2021	30	81	2.7	29	0.97
Sep 2020	24	72	3.0	19	0.79
Sep 2019	20	76	3.8	19	0.95
Sep 2018	22	65	3.0	20	0.91
Sep 2017	28	71	2.5	27	0.96
Sep 2016	30	94	3.1	31	1.03
Sep 2015	30	86	2.9	37	1.23
Sep 2014	30	79	2.6	23	0.77

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 81% · Writing 72% · Maths 72% → all three 63% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard63%216th of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard81%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard31%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard72%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth13%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard72%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard31%

Essex 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 105 (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	63%	9%	105	105
2023/24	53%	10%	106	103
2022/23	57%	14%	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

The Bishop William Ward Church of England Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.6applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
Myland Community Primary School
2.0 km · Essex

Improved significantly2025

3.4applications per place 76%met the SATs standard
Camulos Academy
2.1 km · Essex

Standards maintained2024

2.1applications per place 80%met the SATs standard
Heathlands Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, West Bergholt
2.2 km · Essex

Remains Good2024

2.0applications per place 86%met the SATs standard
Braiswick Primary School
2.5 km · Essex

Remains Good2024

1.9applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
Queen Boudica Primary School
2.8 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

2.2applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
Brinkley Grove Primary School
3.3 km · Essex

Some aspects not as strong2024

2.3applications per place 76%met the SATs standard
Highwoods Community Primary School
3.4 km · Essex

Remains Good · improving2024

2.6applications per place 78%met the SATs standard
North Primary School and Nursery
3.7 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

1.8applications per place 47%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 115144 · 881/3324
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 210 pupils · 203 on roll
Free school meals: 17.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Coach Road, Great Horkesley, Colchester, CO6 4AT
Local authority: Essex · Colchester

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