School profile

Chelmer Valley High School

Secondary · Academy converter · Chelmsford, CM1 7ER

Good

Map showing Chelmer Valley High School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#1,299 of 3,312

Better than 60% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#1,468 of 2,536

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Chelmer Valley High School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 13 Jun 2023

Ofsted rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Sixth form provision
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,200
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Tom Sparks
TrustCHELMER VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Local authorityEssex
Opened01 Aug 2011
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 137260.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolEssexEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.48, similar to England, better than Essex45.346.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.66.1%, similar to England, similar to Essex63.2%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.50%, better than England, better than Essex44.2%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.13%, similar to England, similar to Essex12.9%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths64.1%, better than England, better than Essex58.5%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4192--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolEssexEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.32.38, worse than England, worse than Essex34.6835
Average A-level gradeC+--
Average points, best three A-levels32.95, worse than England, worse than Essex35.8235.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC+--
AAB or better9.1%, worse than England, worse than Essex17.6%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.03, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study72--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Dist--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,200
Girls577
Boys623
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.21.4%
First language not English5.1%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,330
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.9.8%
Sixth form places2024/25170
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.173
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.32
Average class size22.5

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
83.5%
Other White
3.1%
Indian
2.2%
African
1.7%
White and Black Caribbean
1.3%
White and Asian
1.2%
Other mixed
1.2%
White and Black African
1%
Other Black
1%
Bangladeshi
0.6%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher19.3
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.13.1
Teachers (FTE)62.19
Teaching assistants (FTE)11.35
Support staff (FTE)43.06
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2565.1
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2554.9
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/252
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/258.2

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.231
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.798
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.196
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.169
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)0

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolEssexEngland
Overall absence6.3%, better than England, better than Essex8.2%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.16.1%, better than England, better than Essex21.4%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.1.9%, better than England, better than Essex4%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate8.4%
Pupils with one or more suspensions4.2%
Permanent exclusion rate0.3%
Permanent exclusions3

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.93.2%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.86.8%
Further education43.7%
School sixth form38.4%
Sixth form college4.7%
Apprenticeship3.7%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.3.2%
Employment2.6%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.89.7%
Higher education56.3%
Employment23%
Apprenticeship9.2%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.9.2%
Further education1.1%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Chelmer Valley High School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.6 miPrimaryBroomfield Primary SchoolFoundation school
Good
1.4 miSecondarySt John Payne Catholic School, ChelmsfordVoluntary aided school
Good
1.4 miPrimaryLittle Waltham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
1.5 miPrimaryNewlands Spring Primary and Nursery SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.5 miPrimaryGreat Waltham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
1.5 miAll-throughThe Beaulieu Park SchoolFree schools
Outstanding
1.5 miPrimarySt Pius X Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.6 miNurseryTanglewood Nursery SchoolLocal authority nursery school
Outstanding
1.6 miPrimaryParkwood AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Requires improvement
1.7 miPrimaryPerryfields Infant SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about Chelmer Valley High School

What is Chelmer Valley High School's Ofsted rating?

Chelmer Valley High School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 13 Jun 2023.

How does Chelmer Valley High School rank in England?

Chelmer Valley High School ranks 1,299 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 60% of schools) and 1,468 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (similar to most schools).

What are Chelmer Valley High School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 50% of pupils at Chelmer Valley High School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 48 (England 46.2).

What are Chelmer Valley High School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Chelmer Valley High School was C+, and 9.1% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Chelmer Valley High School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Chelmer Valley High School made 231 offers from 798 applications (3.5 per offer), and 169 of 196 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Chelmer Valley High School?

Chelmer Valley High School has 1,200 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Chelmer Valley High School?

Chelmer Valley High School had 1,330 school places in 2024/25.

Does Chelmer Valley High School have a sixth form?

Yes, Chelmer Valley High School has a sixth form with 170 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Chelmer Valley High School?

At Chelmer Valley High School, the average class had 22.5 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 19.3 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Chelmer Valley High School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Chelmer Valley High School missed 6.3% of sessions (England 8%), and 16.1% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.