Academy converter · Essex

The Sandon School

11–18Ages
1,218Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
137240URN

Molrams Lane, Sandon, Chelmsford, CM2 7AQ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 2024 Previous framework

Requires improvement

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

3.3per place

0.5 above Essex median (2.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in EssexSelective

708 applications for 213 places · 27th of 78 in Essex

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

45.5of 90

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

41st of 79 in Essex

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Requires improvement · 19 March 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Good	Requires improvement
Quality of education		Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes	Good
Personal development	Good
Leadership and management		Requires improvement
Sixth form provision		Requires improvement

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

3.3applications per place, Year 7

0.5 above Essex median (2.8) 1.1 above England median (2.2)

708 applications · 213 places offered · 164 named it first

2026 3.3; Essex median median 2.8
2025 3.3; Essex median median 2.7
2024 3.9; Essex median median 2.8
2023 4.0; Essex median median 2.7
2022 3.6; Essex median median 2.7
2021 3.3; Essex median median 2.6
2020 3.7; Essex median median 2.8
2019 3.8; Essex median median 2.7
2018 4.0; Essex median median 2.6
2017 4.4; Essex median median 2.7
2016 4.3; Essex median median 2.6
2015 4.3; Essex median median 2.5
2014 4.7; Essex median median 2.6

More applications per place than the Essex median in 13 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	213	708	3.3	164	0.77
Sep 2025	211	705	3.3	158	0.75
Sep 2024	212	835	3.9	179	0.84
Sep 2023	212	837	4.0	202	0.95
Sep 2022	216	785	3.6	188	0.87
Sep 2021	213	692	3.3	173	0.81
Sep 2020	198	726	3.7	158	0.80
Sep 2019	211	799	3.8	235	1.11
Sep 2018	212	850	4.0	235	1.11
Sep 2017	211	925	4.4	213	1.01
Sep 2016	214	919	4.3	225	1.05
Sep 2015	212	901	4.3	212	1.00
Sep 2014	209	989	4.7	212	1.01

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

204 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)45.541st of 79 in Essex

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths38%51st of 79 in Essex

Essex 43% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths68%

Essex 66% England 66%

This school
Essex median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.15

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	204	45.5	38%	68%	–
2024/25	208	46.6	42%	70%	–
2023/24	221	49.3	53%	75%	+0.15
2022/23	213	44.8	39%	66%	−0.14

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

The Sandon SchoolThis school
This school

Requires improvement2024

3.3applications per place 45.5Attainment 8
Great Baddow High School
2.1 km · Essex

2026

4.6applications per place 48.3Attainment 8
Moulsham High School
3.2 km · Essex

Improved significantly2024

4.2applications per place 54.8Attainment 8
The Boswells School
4.2 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

3.6applications per place 49.1Attainment 8
King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford
4.5 km · Essex

2026

5.0applications per place 83.0Attainment 8 Selective
Chelmsford County High School for Girls
4.6 km · Essex

Outstanding2024

3.4applications per place 81.4Attainment 8 Selective
The Beaulieu Park School
5.1 km · Essex

Outstanding2023

9.2applications per place 59.3Attainment 8
St John Payne Catholic School, Chelmsford
5.5 km · Essex

Remains Good2024

3.5applications per place 48.7Attainment 8
Hylands School
5.5 km · Essex

Special measures 2026

0.6applications per place 40.3Attainment 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: 137240 · 881/5463
Trust: The Sandon School Academy Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,253 pupils · 1,218 on roll
Free school meals: 15.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 August 2011
Replaced: The Sandon School (URN 115379)
Address: Molrams Lane, Sandon, Chelmsford, CM2 7AQ
Local authority: Essex · Chelmsford

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