Academy converter · Essex

Manningtree High School

11–16Ages
908Pupils
SecondaryPhase
137945URN

Colchester Road, Lawford, Manningtree, CO11 2BW · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jan 2025 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.4per place

0.5 below Essex median (2.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in EssexSelective

475 applications for 202 places · 50th of 78 in Essex

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

49.2of 90

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

21st of 79 in Essex

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 8 January 2025Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
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

2.4applications per place, Year 7

0.5 below Essex median (2.8) close to England median (2.2)

475 applications · 202 places offered · 179 named it first

2026 2.4; Essex median median 2.8
2025 2.8; Essex median median 2.7
2024 2.7; Essex median median 2.8
2023 2.7; Essex median median 2.7
2022 2.6; Essex median median 2.7
2021 2.6; Essex median median 2.6
2020 3.0; Essex median median 2.8
2019 2.7; Essex median median 2.7
2018 2.4; Essex median median 2.6
2017 2.4; Essex median median 2.7
2016 2.2; Essex median median 2.6
2015 2.4; Essex median median 2.5
2014 2.5; 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	202	475	2.4	179	0.89
Sep 2025	186	513	2.8	207	1.11
Sep 2024	187	500	2.7	180	0.96
Sep 2023	185	494	2.7	203	1.10
Sep 2022	186	482	2.6	223	1.20
Sep 2021	174	458	2.6	181	1.04
Sep 2020	168	506	3.0	193	1.15
Sep 2019	171	464	2.7	211	1.23
Sep 2018	171	414	2.4	164	0.96
Sep 2017	171	407	2.4	175	1.02
Sep 2016	168	371	2.2	150	0.89
Sep 2015	132	315	2.4	123	0.93
Sep 2014	144	360	2.5	132	0.92

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

165 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)49.221st of 79 in Essex

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths53%18th of 79 in Essex

Essex 43% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths73%

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.)	165	49.2	53%	73%	–
2024/25	182	48.6	53%	74%	–
2023/24	171	49.2	52%	74%	+0.15
2022/23	169	49.4	43%	69%	+0.15

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

Manningtree High SchoolThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.4applications per place 49.2Attainment 8
East Bergholt High School
4.5 km · Suffolk

Remains Good2023

2.3applications per place 49.8Attainment 8
Holbrook Academy
8.8 km · Suffolk

2026

1.7applications per place 40.1Attainment 8
Colchester Academy
9.5 km · Essex

Good2023

1.5applications per place 35.3Attainment 8
The Gilberd School
9.8 km · Essex

Standards maintained2025

3.9applications per place 49.9Attainment 8
The Trinity School
9.8 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2025

3.9applications per place 49.6Attainment 8
St Helena School
12.5 km · Essex

Good2024

3.4applications per place 42.4Attainment 8
Chantry Academy
12.6 km · Suffolk

Good2024

1.6applications per place 36.7Attainment 8
Hadleigh High School
12.8 km · Suffolk

Standards maintained2024

1.3applications per place 45.6Attainment 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: 137945 · 881/5470
Trust: Alpha Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 886 pupils · 908 on roll
Free school meals: 13.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 March 2012
Replaced: Manningtree High School (URN 115206)
Address: Colchester Road, Lawford, Manningtree, CO11 2BW
Local authority: Essex · Tendring

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