Academy converter · Essex

Colne Community School

11–16Ages
1,289Pupils
SecondaryPhase
146795URN

Church Road, Brightlingsea, Colchester, CO7 0QL · 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

1.3per place

1.5 below Essex median (2.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in EssexSelective

330 applications for 256 places · 74th of 78 in Essex

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

42.3of 90

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

54th of 79 in Essex

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 27 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

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

1.3applications per place, Year 7

1.5 below Essex median (2.8) 0.9 below England median (2.2)

330 applications · 256 places offered · 234 named it first

2026 1.3; Essex median median 2.8
2025 1.3; Essex median median 2.7
2024 1.3; Essex median median 2.8
2023 1.3; Essex median median 2.7
2022 1.2; Essex median median 2.7
2021 1.2; Essex median median 2.6
2020 1.2; Essex median median 2.8
2019 1.2; Essex median median 2.7
2018 1.6; Essex median median 2.6; as the previous school
2017 1.5; Essex median median 2.7; as the previous school
2016 1.6; Essex median median 2.6; as the previous school
2015 1.6; Essex median median 2.5; as the previous school
2014 1.6; Essex median median 2.6; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Essex median in 0 of 8 years.

This school
Essex median

Dashed bars: as Colne Community School and College (URN 137429), Colne Community School and College (URN 115376), 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	256	330	1.3	234	0.91
Sep 2025	274	348	1.3	239	0.87
Sep 2024	280	354	1.3	268	0.96
Sep 2023	277	363	1.3	273	0.99
Sep 2022	253	300	1.2	225	0.89
Sep 2021	236	286	1.2	199	0.84
Sep 2020	234	290	1.2	211	0.90
Sep 2019	239	288	1.2	202	0.85
Sep 2018 *	260	404	1.6	241	0.93
Sep 2017 *	259	393	1.5	249	0.96
Sep 2016 *	241	374	1.6	231	0.96
Sep 2015 *	243	387	1.6	221	0.91
Sep 2014 *	232	361	1.6	220	0.95

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

235 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)42.354th of 79 in Essex

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths41%46th of 79 in Essex

Essex 43% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths60%

Essex 66% England 66%

This school
Essex median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.08

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	235	42.3	41%	60%	–
2024/25	242	43.0	40%	63%	–
2023/24	246	45.5	44%	68%	−0.08
2022/23	237	47.2	47%	68%	+0.04

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

Colne Community SchoolThis school
This school

Good2023

1.3applications per place 42.3Attainment 8
Lift Clacton
8.6 km · Essex

Good2024

1.4applications per place 29.6Attainment 8
The Thomas Lord Audley School
9.8 km · Essex

Standards maintained2025

2.7applications per place 41.2Attainment 8
Clacton County High School
10.0 km · Essex

Standards maintained2024

1.6applications per place 37.5Attainment 8
Colchester Academy
10.0 km · Essex

Good2023

1.5applications per place 35.3Attainment 8
Colchester Royal Grammar School
11.8 km · Essex

Serious weaknesses 2026

6.3applications per place 80.9Attainment 8 Selective
Paxman Academy
12.0 km · Essex

Good2024

2.8applications per place 42.4Attainment 8
Philip Morant School and College
12.3 km · Essex

Good2023

3.5applications per place 45.6Attainment 8
St Helena School
12.4 km · Essex

Good2024

3.4applications per place 42.4Attainment 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: 146795 · 881/4032
Trust: The Sigma Trust
Capacity: 1,540 pupils · 1,289 on roll
Free school meals: 21.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 January 2019
Replaced: Colne Community School and College (URN 137429); Colne Community School and College (URN 115376)
Address: Church Road, Brightlingsea, Colchester, CO7 0QL
Local authority: Essex · Tendring

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