School profile

Helena Romanes School

All-through · Academy converter · Great Dunmow, CM6 2AU

Good

Map showing Helena Romanes School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#1,993 of 3,312

Worse than 60% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#2,284 of 2,536

Worse than 90% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Helena Romanes School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 10 Oct 2023

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

School facts

PhaseAll-through
TypeAcademy converter
Ages4 to 18
Pupils1,265
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMs Catherine Davis
TrustSAFFRON ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityEssex
Opened01 Apr 2012
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 137975.

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.44, worse than England, similar to Essex45.346.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.67.5%, similar to England, better than Essex63.2%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.41.6%, worse than England, similar to Essex44.2%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.9.9%, worse than England, worse than Essex12.9%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths60.5%, similar to England, similar to Essex58.5%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4243--

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 10.24.99, worse than England, worse than Essex34.6835
Average A-level gradeD+--
Average points, best three A-levels27.46, worse than England, worse than Essex35.8235.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC---
AAB or better0%, worse than England, worse than Essex17.6%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.54, worse than England--
A-level progressBelow average, worse than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study96--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Merit---

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 pupils1,265
Girls630
Boys635
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.16.8%
First language not English5.1%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,683
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.24.8%
Sixth form places2024/25250
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.107
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.23
Average class size20.9

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
84.3%
Other White
3.3%
White and Asian
1.7%
Other mixed
1.6%
Other Asian
1.3%
African
1.2%
White and Black Caribbean
1.1%
Other ethnic group
1.1%
Indian
0.9%
Other Black
0.5%

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 teacher18.7
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.14.3
Teachers (FTE)67.68
Teaching assistants (FTE)11.54
Support staff (FTE)37.94
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2572.5
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2561.4
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/256
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/255.1

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 (Reception)Places offered on national offer day.17
Applications (Reception)Includes every preference parents listed.70
First preference applications (Reception)Families who put this school as their first choice.13
First preference offers (Reception)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.13
Applications from another local authority (Reception)0
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.199
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.355
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.142
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.142
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)1

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 absence9%, worse than England, worse than Essex8.2%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.24.1%, worse than England, worse than Essex21.4%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.5.6%, worse than England, worse 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 rate28.6%
Pupils with one or more suspensions8.6%
Permanent exclusion rate0.3%
Permanent exclusions4

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.90.4%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.84.7%
School sixth form43.5%
Further education40.1%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.7.9%
Apprenticeship2.8%
Employment2.8%
Sixth form college1.1%

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.85.5%
Higher education38.6%
Employment38.6%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.8.4%
Apprenticeship6%
Further education2.4%

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 Helena Romanes School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.6 miPrimaryGreat Dunmow Primary SchoolFoundation school
Good
0.7 miPrimaryDunmow St Mary's Primary SchoolFoundation school
Good

Frequently asked questions about Helena Romanes School

What is Helena Romanes School's Ofsted rating?

Helena Romanes School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 10 Oct 2023.

How does Helena Romanes School rank in England?

Helena Romanes School ranks 1,993 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 60% of schools) and 2,284 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 90% of schools).

What are Helena Romanes School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 41.6% of pupils at Helena Romanes School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 44 (England 46.2).

What are Helena Romanes School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Helena Romanes School was D+, and 0% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Helena Romanes School?

For Reception entry in 2026/27, Helena Romanes School made 17 offers from 70 applications (4.1 per offer), and 13 of 13 first-preference applicants got a place. For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, it made 199 offers from 355 applications (1.8 per offer), and 142 of 142 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Helena Romanes School?

Helena Romanes School has 1,265 pupils aged 4 to 18.

What is the capacity of Helena Romanes School?

Helena Romanes School had 1,683 school places in 2024/25.

Does Helena Romanes School have a sixth form?

Yes, Helena Romanes School has a sixth form with 250 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Helena Romanes School?

At Helena Romanes School, the average class had 20.9 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 18.7 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Helena Romanes School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Helena Romanes School missed 9% of sessions (England 8%), and 24.1% 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.