Voluntary aided school · Essex

St Benedict's Catholic College

11–16Ages
905Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
115382URN

Norman Way, Colchester, CO3 3US · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodNov 2013

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Jul 2023

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

4.4per place

1.6 above Essex median (2.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in EssexSelective

768 applications for 173 places · 6th of 78 in Essex

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

58.4of 90

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

8th of 79 in Essex

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodNov 2013

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Jul 2023

Inspection history

19 July 2023
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good
26 November 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

4.4applications per place, Year 7

1.6 above Essex median (2.8) 2.2 above England median (2.2)

768 applications · 173 places offered · 213 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 4.4; Essex median median 2.8
2025 4.7; Essex median median 2.7
2024 4.3; Essex median median 2.8
2023 4.3; Essex median median 2.7
2022 3.4; Essex median median 2.7
2021 3.3; Essex median median 2.6
2020 3.3; Essex median median 2.8
2019 3.2; Essex median median 2.7
2018 3.0; Essex median median 2.6
2017 3.1; Essex median median 2.7
2016 3.0; Essex median median 2.6
2015 3.0; Essex median median 2.5
2014 2.6; Essex median median 2.6

More applications per place than the Essex median in 12 of 13 years.

This school
Essex median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, 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	173	768	4.4	213	1.23
Sep 2025	171	808	4.7	211	1.23
Sep 2024	178	772	4.3	203	1.14
Sep 2023	174	756	4.3	193	1.11
Sep 2022	176	605	3.4	173	0.98
Sep 2021	178	587	3.3	123	0.69
Sep 2020	179	597	3.3	145	0.81
Sep 2019	175	556	3.2	162	0.93
Sep 2018	175	522	3.0	154	0.88
Sep 2017	171	527	3.1	138	0.81
Sep 2016	176	525	3.0	130	0.74
Sep 2015	167	496	3.0	138	0.83
Sep 2014	162	424	2.6	137	0.85

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

181 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)58.48th of 79 in Essex

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths76%7th of 79 in Essex

Essex 43% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths88%

Essex 66% England 66%

This school
Essex median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.23

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	181	58.4	76%	88%	–
2024/25	180	54.7	62%	82%	–
2023/24	179	53.5	61%	82%	+0.23
2022/23	176	54.1	60%	84%	+0.39

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

St Benedict's Catholic CollegeThis school
This school

Remains Good2023

4.4applications per place 58.4Attainment 8
Colchester County High School for Girls
0.0 km · Essex

Outstanding2023

3.9applications per place 79.7Attainment 8 Selective
Philip Morant School and College
0.5 km · Essex

Good2023

3.5applications per place 45.6Attainment 8
Colchester Royal Grammar School
0.8 km · Essex

Serious weaknesses 2026

6.3applications per place 80.9Attainment 8 Selective
St Helena School
1.4 km · Essex

Good2024

3.4applications per place 42.4Attainment 8
Paxman Academy
1.5 km · Essex

Good2024

2.8applications per place 42.4Attainment 8
The Stanway School
2.4 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

3.1applications per place 48.3Attainment 8
The Thomas Lord Audley School
2.6 km · Essex

Standards maintained2025

2.7applications per place 41.2Attainment 8
The Gilberd School
4.5 km · Essex

Standards maintained2025

3.9applications per place 49.9Attainment 8

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: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 115382 · 881/5466
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 876 pupils · 905 on roll
Free school meals: 9.4% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Norman Way, Colchester, CO3 3US
Local authority: Essex · Colchester

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources