Voluntary aided school · Essex

The Cathedral Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chelmsford

4–11Ages
314Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
115289URN

Victoria Road, The Cathedral C of E primary, Chelmsford, CM1 1PA · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Mar 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.5per place

close to Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

114 applications for 45 places · 138th of 363 in Essex

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

74%met the expected standard

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 3 March 2026Published 11 May 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Strong standard	Expected standard
Inclusion			Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching			Expected standard
Achievement		Strong standard
Attendance and behaviour		Strong standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Strong standard
Early years			Expected standard
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance			Expected standard

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

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

3 March 2026
Report card · 3 Strong standard, 4 Expected standard
2 November 2021
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

2.5applications per place, Reception

close to Essex median (2.4) 0.3 above England median (2.2)

114 applications · 45 places offered · 59 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.5; Essex median median 2.4
2025 2.5; Essex median median 2.4
2024 2.3; Essex median median 2.4
2023 2.1; Essex median median 2.4
2022 2.3; Essex median median 2.4
2021 1.8; Essex median median 2.3
2020 2.3; Essex median median 2.4
2019 2.0; Essex median median 2.5
2018 2.4; Essex median median 2.5
2017 2.7; Essex median median 2.6
2016 3.0; Essex median median 2.8
2015 2.8; Essex median median 2.7
2014 2.5; 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	45	114	2.5	59	1.31
Sep 2025	45	114	2.5	54	1.20
Sep 2024	45	103	2.3	49	1.09
Sep 2023	45	94	2.1	46	1.02
Sep 2022	45	104	2.3	52	1.16
Sep 2021	45	83	1.8	38	0.84
Sep 2020	45	104	2.3	40	0.89
Sep 2019	45	89	2.0	40	0.89
Sep 2018	45	109	2.4	36	0.80
Sep 2017	45	120	2.7	62	1.38
Sep 2016	45	135	3.0	49	1.09
Sep 2015	45	126	2.8	54	1.20
Sep 2014	45	111	2.5	41	0.91

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 94% · Writing 74% · Maths 94% → all three 74% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard74%100th of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard94%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard66%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 110 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard74%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth4%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard94%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard55%

Essex 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 109 (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	74%	4%	110	109
2023/24	71%	11%	109	108
2022/23	68%	9%	109	107

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 Cathedral Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, ChelmsfordThis school
This school

2026

2.5applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
Trinity Road Primary School
0.6 km · Essex

Some aspects not as strong2025

2.1applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School
1.0 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

2.4applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Maltese Road Primary School
1.0 km · Essex

Remains Good2024

4.6applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
Oaklands Infant School
1.4 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.9applications per place
Kings Road Primary School
1.4 km · Essex

Standards maintained2025

2.5applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
The Tyrrells School
1.6 km · Essex

Improved significantly2025

3.4applications per place 80%met the SATs standard
Perryfields Junior School
1.6 km · Essex

Outstanding2024

91%met the SATs standard
Perryfields Infant School
1.7 km · Essex

Remains Good2022

4.9applications per place

School details

Type: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 115289 · 881/5249
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 315 pupils · 314 on roll
Free school meals: 7.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Victoria Road, The Cathedral C of E primary, Chelmsford, CM1 1PA
Local authority: Essex · Chelmsford

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