Academy converter · Essex

Chelmer Valley High School

11–18Ages
1,200Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
137260URN

Court Road, Broomfield, Chelmsford, CM1 7ER · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jun 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

3.5per place

0.6 above Essex median (2.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in EssexSelective

798 applications for 231 places · 24th of 78 in Essex

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

48.0of 90

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

27th of 79 in Essex

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 13 June 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
Sixth form 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

3.5applications per place, Year 7

0.6 above Essex median (2.8) 1.2 above England median (2.2)

798 applications · 231 places offered · 196 named it first

2026 3.5; Essex median median 2.8
2025 3.2; Essex median median 2.7
2024 3.3; Essex median median 2.8
2023 3.4; Essex median median 2.7
2022 3.5; Essex median median 2.7
2021 3.3; Essex median median 2.6
2020 3.2; Essex median median 2.8
2019 3.3; Essex median median 2.7
2018 3.8; Essex median median 2.6
2017 3.4; Essex median median 2.7
2016 4.1; Essex median median 2.6
2015 3.8; Essex median median 2.5
2014 4.2; 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	231	798	3.5	196	0.85
Sep 2025	231	740	3.2	197	0.85
Sep 2024	221	726	3.3	183	0.83
Sep 2023	195	671	3.4	202	1.04
Sep 2022	196	683	3.5	198	1.01
Sep 2021	195	635	3.3	196	1.01
Sep 2020	196	635	3.2	170	0.87
Sep 2019	196	653	3.3	181	0.92
Sep 2018	193	731	3.8	204	1.06
Sep 2017	221	740	3.4	191	0.86
Sep 2016	181	746	4.1	189	1.04
Sep 2015	188	716	3.8	199	1.06
Sep 2014	189	798	4.2	238	1.26

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

192 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)48.027th of 79 in Essex

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths50%24th 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)+0.25

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	192	48.0	50%	66%	–
2024/25	195	45.3	43%	67%	–
2023/24	190	46.2	42%	71%	+0.25
2022/23	193	47.7	42%	67%	−0.02

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

Chelmer Valley High SchoolThis school
This school

Good2023

3.5applications per place 48.0Attainment 8
St John Payne Catholic School, Chelmsford
2.2 km · Essex

Remains Good2024

3.5applications per place 48.7Attainment 8
The Beaulieu Park School
2.4 km · Essex

Outstanding2023

9.2applications per place 59.3Attainment 8
The Boswells School
2.9 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

3.6applications per place 49.1Attainment 8
Chelmsford County High School for Girls
3.1 km · Essex

Outstanding2024

3.4applications per place 81.4Attainment 8 Selective
King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford
3.5 km · Essex

2026

5.0applications per place 83.0Attainment 8 Selective
Hylands School
5.1 km · Essex

Special measures 2026

0.6applications per place 40.3Attainment 8
Moulsham High School
5.9 km · Essex

Improved significantly2024

4.2applications per place 54.8Attainment 8
Great Baddow High School
6.6 km · Essex

2026

4.6applications 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: 137260 · 881/5429
Trust: Chelmer Valley High School
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,168 pupils · 1,200 on roll
Free school meals: 23.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 August 2011
Replaced: Chelmer Valley High School (URN 115345)
Address: Court Road, Broomfield, Chelmsford, CM1 7ER
Local authority: Essex · Chelmsford

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