Academy converter · Essex

Philip Morant School and College

11–18Ages
1,888Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
146794URN

Rembrandt Way, Colchester, CO3 4QS · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Sep 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

1,054 applications for 305 places · 23rd of 78 in Essex

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

45.6of 90

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

39th of 79 in Essex

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 13 September 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)

1,054 applications · 305 places offered · 248 named it first

2026 3.5; Essex median median 2.8
2025 3.2; Essex median median 2.7
2024 2.8; Essex median median 2.8
2023 3.1; Essex median median 2.7
2022 2.9; Essex median median 2.7
2021 2.4; Essex median median 2.6
2020 3.1; Essex median median 2.8
2019 1.9; Essex median median 2.7
2018 2.6; Essex median median 2.6; as the previous school
2017 3.1; Essex median median 2.7; as the previous school
2016 3.0; Essex median median 2.6; as the previous school
2015 2.9; Essex median median 2.5; as the previous school
2014 2.9; Essex median median 2.6; as the previous school

This school
Essex median

Dashed bars: as Philip Morant School and College (URN 137619), Philip Morant School and College (URN 115320), the previous school.

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	305	1,054	3.5	248	0.81
Sep 2025	328	1,033	3.2	277	0.84
Sep 2024	306	867	2.8	252	0.82
Sep 2023	270	844	3.1	161	0.60
Sep 2022	264	771	2.9	176	0.67
Sep 2021	320	766	2.4	182	0.57
Sep 2020	264	820	3.1	180	0.68
Sep 2019	337	654	1.9	234	0.69
Sep 2018 *	333	877	2.6	233	0.70
Sep 2017 *	298	922	3.1	272	0.91
Sep 2016 *	290	883	3.0	271	0.93
Sep 2015 *	273	793	2.9	259	0.95
Sep 2014 *	269	773	2.9	261	0.97

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

314 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)45.639th of 79 in Essex

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths48%30th of 79 in Essex

Essex 43% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths65%

Essex 66% England 66%

This school
Essex median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.13

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	314	45.6	48%	65%	–
2024/25	313	44.5	37%	61%	–
2023/24	263	45.6	48%	67%	−0.13
2022/23	317	45.9	48%	69%	−0.24

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

Philip Morant School and CollegeThis school
This school

Good2023

3.5applications per place 45.6Attainment 8
St Benedict's Catholic College
0.5 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

4.4applications per place 58.4Attainment 8
Colchester County High School for Girls
0.5 km · Essex

Outstanding2023

3.9applications per place 79.7Attainment 8 Selective
Paxman Academy
1.0 km · Essex

Good2024

2.8applications per place 42.4Attainment 8
Colchester Royal Grammar School
1.2 km · Essex

Serious weaknesses 2026

6.3applications per place 80.9Attainment 8 Selective
St Helena School
1.9 km · Essex

Good2024

3.4applications per place 42.4Attainment 8
The Stanway School
2.2 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

3.1applications per place 48.3Attainment 8
The Thomas Lord Audley School
2.5 km · Essex

Standards maintained2025

2.7applications per place 41.2Attainment 8
Colchester Academy
4.8 km · Essex

Good2023

1.5applications per place 35.3Attainment 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: 146794 · 881/4031
Trust: The Sigma Trust
Capacity: 1,902 pupils · 1,888 on roll
Free school meals: 25.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: Resourced provision
Opened: 1 January 2019
Replaced: Philip Morant School and College (URN 137619); Philip Morant School and College (URN 115320)
Address: Rembrandt Way, Colchester, CO3 4QS
Local authority: Essex · Colchester

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