School profile

The Gilberd School

Secondary · Academy converter · Colchester, CO4 9PU

Outstanding

Map showing The Gilberd School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#999 of 3,312

Better than 69% of schools in England

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

The Gilberd School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 21 Nov 2018

Ofsted rating
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 16
Pupils1,588
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr James Mitchell
TrustALPHA TRUST
Local authorityEssex
Opened01 Mar 2012
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 137926.

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.49.9, better than England, better than Essex45.346.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.70.9%, better than England, better than Essex63.2%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.49.7%, better than England, better than Essex44.2%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.13.9%, similar to England, similar to Essex12.9%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths65.9%, better than England, better than Essex58.5%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4296--

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

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,588
Girls758
Boys830
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.15.4%
First language not English13.1%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,600
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.0.8%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.164
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.44
Average class size25.2

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
64.9%
Other White
5.5%
Indian
4.8%
African
4.2%
Other ethnic group
3.1%
Other Asian
3%
Other Black
2.7%
Other mixed
2.6%
White and Asian
2%
Pakistani
1.8%

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 teacher18.8
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.13
Teachers (FTE)84.69
Teaching assistants (FTE)17.14
Support staff (FTE)64.4
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2583.7
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2574.5
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/253.2
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/256

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.306
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.1,183
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.401
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.267
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)15

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 absence6.6%, better than England, better than Essex8.2%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.15.2%, better than England, better than Essex21.4%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.3%, 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 rate9.8%
Pupils with one or more suspensions5.8%
Permanent exclusion rate0.4%
Permanent exclusions7

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.95.2%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.90.7%
Sixth form college43.5%
Further education35.8%
School sixth form11.2%
Employment3.2%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.3.2%
Apprenticeship1.3%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 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 The Gilberd School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miPrimaryBrinkley Grove Primary SchoolFoundation school
Good
0.3 miPrimaryHighwoods Community Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.6 miPrimarySt John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, ColchesterVoluntary controlled school
Good
0.7 miPrimaryCamulos AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.0 miPrimaryFriars Grove Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.0 miPrimaryQueen Boudica Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.0 miPrimaryMyland Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.3 miPrimaryWillow Brook Primary School and NurseryAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.3 miSecondaryThe Trinity SchoolFree schools
Good
1.4 miPrimaryParsons Heath Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good

Frequently asked questions about The Gilberd School

What is The Gilberd School's Ofsted rating?

The Gilberd School is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, last inspected on 21 Nov 2018.

How does The Gilberd School rank in England?

The Gilberd School ranks 999 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 69% of schools).

What are The Gilberd School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 49.7% of pupils at The Gilberd School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 49.9 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into The Gilberd School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Gilberd School made 306 offers from 1,183 applications (3.9 per offer), and 267 of 401 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Gilberd School?

The Gilberd School has 1,588 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of The Gilberd School?

The Gilberd School had 1,600 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Gilberd School have a sixth form?

No, The Gilberd School teaches pupils up to age 16.

How big are classes at The Gilberd School?

At The Gilberd School, the average class had 25.2 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 18.8 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Gilberd School?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Gilberd School missed 6.6% of sessions (England 8%), and 15.2% 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.