In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are close to England, and results at 16 were above England in 2026. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.
Colchester at a glance
Ahead of England on results at 16
How Colchester's schools compare with England, area by area.
Schools and nurseries10035 primary · 10 secondary · 47 nurseries
Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
Met the standard at 1162%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths56%Attainment 8 51.8, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary22%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school16%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Colchester
Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.
Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.
Worked out by Eduscope from each school's published figures. Not an official statistic for this town.
Numbers that sum up Colchester
ColchesterEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 25 primaries with one.
100%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
8 of the 8 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
62%
England 62%
Close to England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
56%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
16%
England 18%
Better than England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
22%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 37 schools that have one.
97%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding6
Good30
Requires improvement0
Inadequate1
How it has changed
Colchester in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1162% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths56% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school16% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here
What it's like for families
Colchester has 100 schools and nurseries.
There are 24% more pupils than in 2018.
22% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Colchester's state schools each January.
18.8k2018
19.5k2019
20.9k2021
21.6k2022
22.1k2023
22.7k2024
23.0k2025
23.4k2026
Up 24% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.
Free school meals
Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.
Colchester22%
Dates to know
Apply through your local council, even for academies and faith schools.
31 OctSecondary deadlineFor children starting Year 7.
15 JanPrimary deadlineFor children starting Reception.
1 MarSecondary offersOffers day for Year 7 places.
16 AprPrimary offersOffers day for Reception places.
Keep up with schools in Colchester
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Colchester has 100 schools, including 40 primary schools, 17 secondary schools, 47 nurseries, 4 independent schools, 2 special schools. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.
What are the best schools in Colchester?+
The highest-ranked schools in Colchester on Eduscope are Colchester County High School for Girls, Colchester Royal Grammar School, St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, Colchester. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.
What percentage of schools in Colchester are rated Good or Outstanding?+
97% of inspected schools in Colchester hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 6 schools rated Outstanding and 30 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Colchester perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Colchester, 62% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.
What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Colchester?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Colchester is 18.9:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.
What is the persistent absence rate in Colchester schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Colchester is 16.2%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.
How many pupils attend schools in Colchester?+
There are 23,416 pupils enrolled across schools in Colchester, with 11,438 in primary and 11,978 in secondary. 20.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in Colchester?+
There are 4 independent schools in Colchester. Fees vary by school and age group, with day school fees typically ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 per year. You can compare all private schools in Colchester on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in Colchester?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 100 schools in Colchester by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.
Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.
