Academy converter · Essex

St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, Colchester

4–11Ages
209Pupils
PrimaryPhase
CatholicReligious character
138164URN

Priory Street, Colchester, CO1 2QB · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Nov 2023 Previous framework

Outstanding

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.6per place

0.2 above Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

81 applications for 31 places · 123rd of 363 in Essex

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

93%met the expected standard

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Outstanding · 7 November 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education	Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding
Early years provision	Outstanding

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

2.6applications per place, Reception

0.2 above Essex median (2.4) 0.4 above England median (2.2)

81 applications · 31 places offered · 39 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.6; Essex median median 2.4
2025 2.2; Essex median median 2.4
2024 2.6; Essex median median 2.4
2023 2.6; Essex median median 2.4
2022 2.5; Essex median median 2.4
2021 3.7; Essex median median 2.3
2020 3.0; Essex median median 2.4
2019 3.1; Essex median median 2.5
2018 3.0; Essex median median 2.5
2017 3.3; Essex median median 2.6
2016 3.6; Essex median median 2.8
2015 4.0; Essex median median 2.7
2014 3.3; Essex median median 2.8

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

This school
Essex median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, 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	31	81	2.6	39	1.26
Sep 2025	29	64	2.2	32	1.10
Sep 2024	30	79	2.6	38	1.27
Sep 2023	30	79	2.6	41	1.37
Sep 2022	30	76	2.5	28	0.93
Sep 2021	30	111	3.7	45	1.50
Sep 2020	30	89	3.0	34	1.13
Sep 2019	30	93	3.1	38	1.27
Sep 2018	30	89	3.0	40	1.33
Sep 2017	30	100	3.3	46	1.53
Sep 2016	30	108	3.6	44	1.47
Sep 2015	30	119	4.0	51	1.70
Sep 2014	30	98	3.3	31	1.03

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 100% · Writing 97% · Maths 97% → all three 93% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard93%6th of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard100%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard67%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 113 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard97%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth30%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard97%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard50%

Essex 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 109 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Essex median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	93%	23%	113	109
2023/24	100%	21%	112	114
2022/23	93%	7%	112	111

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

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

St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, ColchesterThis school
This school

Outstanding2023

2.6applications per place 93%met the SATs standard
St James the Great Church of England Primary School
0.4 km · Essex

Standards maintained2025

1.8applications per place 48%met the SATs standard
St John's Green Primary School
0.7 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

2.3applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
The Sixth Form College Colchester
1.0 km · Essex

Not yet inspected
St. George's School
1.1 km · Essex

Good2023

2.1applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
North Primary School and Nursery
1.2 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

1.8applications per place 47%met the SATs standard
Willow Brook Primary School and Nursery
1.4 km · Essex

Good2022

2.3applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Kendall Church of England Primary School
1.5 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2025

4.6applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
Hamilton Primary School
1.7 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2025

3.1applications per place 79%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 138164 · 881/3824
Trust: The Rosary Trust - A Catholic Multi Academy
Religious character: Catholic
Capacity: 210 pupils · 209 on roll
Free school meals: 6.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 June 2012
Replaced: St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, Colchester (URN 115205)
Address: Priory Street, Colchester, CO1 2QB
Local authority: Essex · Colchester

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources