Foundation school · Essex

Mersea Island School

2–11Ages
394Pupils
PrimaryPhase
115311URN

Barfield Road, West Mersea, Colchester, CO5 8QX · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.1per place

1.3 below Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

45 applications for 41 places · 362nd of 363 in Essex

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

56%met the expected standard

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 2 March 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
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

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

1.1applications per place, Reception

1.3 below Essex median (2.4) 1.1 below England median (2.2)

45 applications · 41 places offered · 41 named it first

2026 1.1; Essex median median 2.4
2025 1.1; Essex median median 2.4
2024 1.1; Essex median median 2.4
2023 1.2; Essex median median 2.4
2022 1.1; Essex median median 2.4
2021 1.1; Essex median median 2.3
2020 1.1; Essex median median 2.4
2019 1.1; Essex median median 2.5
2018 1.0; Essex median median 2.5
2017 1.2; Essex median median 2.6
2016 1.1; Essex median median 2.8
2015 1.0; Essex median median 2.7
2014 1.1; 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	41	45	1.1	41	1.00
Sep 2025	42	46	1.1	42	1.00
Sep 2024	42	47	1.1	42	1.00
Sep 2023	40	46	1.2	40	1.00
Sep 2022	49	53	1.1	47	0.96
Sep 2021	51	56	1.1	50	0.98
Sep 2020	35	39	1.1	35	1.00
Sep 2019	58	66	1.1	58	1.00
Sep 2018	45	46	1.0	43	0.96
Sep 2017	57	66	1.2	55	0.96
Sep 2016	60	64	1.1	55	0.92
Sep 2015	53	55	1.0	49	0.92
Sep 2014	58	62	1.1	53	0.91

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 72% · Writing 76% · Maths 72% → all three 56% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard56%270th of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard72%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard28%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard76%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth24%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard72%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard28%

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	56%	12%	104	105
2023/24	59%	8%	103	104
2022/23	58%	17%	106	103

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

Mersea Island SchoolThis school
This school

Good2023

1.1applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
St Cedd's Church of England Primary School
5.9 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

1.6applications per place 38%met the SATs standard
Tollesbury School
6.1 km · Essex

Remains Good2024

1.3applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
Langenhoe Community Primary School
6.1 km · Essex

Good2023

3.3applications per place 78%met the SATs standard
Fingringhoe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
7.8 km · Essex

Good2023

3.5applications per place 54%met the SATs standard
Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery
8.2 km · Essex

Good2024

1.2applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Tolleshunt D'Arcy St Nicholas Primary Academy
8.5 km · Essex

Remains Good2024

1.7applications per place 65%met the SATs standard
Layer-de-la-Haye Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
8.7 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

2.7applications per place 75%met the SATs standard
Cherry Tree Academy
8.9 km · Essex

Good2022

2.1applications per place 79%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Foundation school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 115311 · 881/5271
Capacity: 468 pupils · 394 on roll
Free school meals: 18.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Barfield Road, West Mersea, Colchester, CO5 8QX
Local authority: Essex · Colchester

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