Academy converter · Essex

Honywood School

11–16Ages
849Pupils
SecondaryPhase
136729URN

Westfield Drive, Coggeshall, Colchester, CO6 1PZ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Dec 2022 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

3.2per place

0.3 above Essex median (2.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in EssexSelective

565 applications for 179 places · 31st of 78 in Essex

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

45.1of 90

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

42nd of 79 in Essex

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 6 December 2022Ofsted'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

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

3.2applications per place, Year 7

0.3 above Essex median (2.8) 0.9 above England median (2.2)

565 applications · 179 places offered · 192 named it first

2026 3.2; Essex median median 2.8
2025 2.7; Essex median median 2.7
2024 2.6; Essex median median 2.8
2023 2.5; Essex median median 2.7
2022 2.3; Essex median median 2.7
2021 2.3; Essex median median 2.6
2020 2.7; Essex median median 2.8
2019 2.1; Essex median median 2.7
2018 2.6; Essex median median 2.6
2017 2.7; Essex median median 2.7
2016 2.9; Essex median median 2.6
2015 2.8; Essex median median 2.5
2014 3.2; Essex median median 2.6

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	179	565	3.2	192	1.07
Sep 2025	175	477	2.7	191	1.09
Sep 2024	183	476	2.6	188	1.03
Sep 2023	150	369	2.5	114	0.76
Sep 2022	149	349	2.3	125	0.84
Sep 2021	129	300	2.3	97	0.75
Sep 2020	114	311	2.7	103	0.90
Sep 2019	173	361	2.1	156	0.90
Sep 2018	167	429	2.6	157	0.94
Sep 2017	162	434	2.7	151	0.93
Sep 2016	180	530	2.9	151	0.84
Sep 2015	208	577	2.8	204	0.98
Sep 2014	201	636	3.2	239	1.19

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

155 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)45.142nd of 79 in Essex

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths37%54th of 79 in Essex

Essex 43% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths66%

Essex 66% England 66%

This school
Essex median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.33

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	155	45.1	37%	66%	–
2024/25	139	46.3	48%	67%	–
2023/24	165	45.1	46%	66%	−0.33
2022/23	174	45.4	35%	68%	−0.26

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

Honywood SchoolThis school
This school

Good2022

3.2applications per place 45.1Attainment 8
Lift New Rickstones
7.6 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

1.9applications per place 42.5Attainment 8
Thurstable School
7.6 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.1applications per place 46.5Attainment 8
Alec Hunter Academy
7.8 km · Essex

Remains Good2022

2.4applications per place 47.1Attainment 8
The Ramsey Academy, Halstead
8.3 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.6applications per place 46.5Attainment 8
Notley High School and Sixth Form
9.7 km · Essex

2026

1.8applications per place 46.1Attainment 8
Lift Maltings
9.8 km · Essex

2026

1.6applications per place 40.6Attainment 8
Tabor Academy
10.3 km · Essex

2026

1.9applications per place 38.5Attainment 8
The Stanway School
10.4 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

3.1applications per place 48.3Attainment 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: Academy converter
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 136729 · 881/4400
Trust: Saffron Academy Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 800 pupils · 849 on roll
Free school meals: 16.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 May 2011
Replaced: The Honywood Community Science School (URN 115226)
Address: Westfield Drive, Coggeshall, Colchester, CO6 1PZ
Local authority: Essex · Braintree

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