School profile

Colchester Royal Grammar School

Secondary · Academy converter · Colchester, CO3 3ND

Outstanding

Map showing Colchester Royal Grammar School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#17 of 3,312

Better than 99% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#25 of 2,536

Better than 99% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Colchester Royal Grammar School Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 14 Apr 2026

Area360 rating
Outstanding
Inclusion
Strong standard
Curriculum and teaching
Exceptional
Achievement
Exceptional
Attendance and behaviour
Strong standard
Personal development and wellbeing
Strong standard
Leadership and governance
Exceptional
Post-16 provision
Exceptional
Safeguarding
Met

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,073
GenderBoys
Religious characterChristian
Admissions policySelective
Head teacherMr John Russell
TrustTHE THINKING SCHOOLS ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityEssex
Opened01 May 2023
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 149899.

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.80.9, better than England, better than Essex45.346.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.100%, better than England, better than Essex63.2%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.98.4%, better than England, better than Essex44.2%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.82%, better than England, better than Essex12.9%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths99.2%, better than England, better than Essex58.5%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4128--

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 10.51.32, better than England, better than Essex34.6835
Average A-level gradeA--
Average points, best three A-levels52.06, better than England, better than Essex35.8235.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsA+--
AAB or better77.7%, better than England, better than Essex17.6%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.19, better than England--
A-level progressAbove average, better than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study202--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.c--

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 pupils1,073
Girls151
Boys922
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.4%
First language not English8.8%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.968
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.0%
Sixth form places2024/25330
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.86
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.4
Average class size23.1

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
33.4%
Indian
25.1%
Other Asian
6.2%
Chinese
6.2%
African
5.9%
Other White
5.5%
Bangladeshi
4.4%
White and Asian
3.6%
Pakistani
3.6%
Other mixed
2.3%

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 teacher16.8
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.14.6
Teachers (FTE)63.76
Teaching assistants (FTE)2.7
Support staff (FTE)34.18
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2566.6
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2557.4
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/253
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/256.2

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.128
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.804
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.280
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.63
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)302

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 absence3.9%, better than England, better than Essex8.2%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.6.1%, better than England, better than Essex21.4%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.0%, 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 rate2.5%
Pupils with one or more suspensions2.3%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

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.100%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.100%
School sixth form94.4%
Sixth form college4.8%
Further education0%
Apprenticeship0%
Employment0%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.0%

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.93.9%
Higher education85.5%
Apprenticeship4.5%
Employment3.9%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.3.4%
Further education0%

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 Colchester Royal Grammar School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miNot applicableColchester Prep & High SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
0.3 miPrimaryHamilton Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.4 miNot applicableSt Mary's School for GirlsOther independent school
Unrated
0.5 miPrimarySt John's Green Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.5 miSecondaryColchester County High School for GirlsAcademy converter
Outstanding
0.5 miSecondarySt Benedict's Catholic CollegeVoluntary aided school
Good
0.6 miSecondarySt Helena SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miPrimaryNorth Primary School and NurseryCommunity school
Good
0.7 miSecondaryPhilip Morant School and CollegeAcademy converter
Good
0.9 miPrimarySt Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, ColchesterAcademy converter
Outstanding

Frequently asked questions about Colchester Royal Grammar School

What is Colchester Royal Grammar School's Ofsted rating?

Colchester Royal Grammar School is rated Outstanding, last inspected on 14 Apr 2026. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Colchester Royal Grammar School rank in England?

Colchester Royal Grammar School ranks 17 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 99% of schools) and 25 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (better than 99% of schools).

What are Colchester Royal Grammar School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 98.4% of pupils at Colchester Royal Grammar School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 80.9 (England 46.2).

What are Colchester Royal Grammar School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Colchester Royal Grammar School was A, and 77.7% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Colchester Royal Grammar School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Colchester Royal Grammar School made 128 offers from 804 applications (6.3 per offer), and 63 of 280 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Colchester Royal Grammar School?

Colchester Royal Grammar School has 1,073 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Colchester Royal Grammar School?

Colchester Royal Grammar School had 968 school places in 2024/25.

Does Colchester Royal Grammar School have a sixth form?

Yes, Colchester Royal Grammar School has a sixth form with 330 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Colchester Royal Grammar School?

At Colchester Royal Grammar School, the average class had 23.1 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 16.8 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Colchester Royal Grammar School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Colchester Royal Grammar School missed 3.9% of sessions (England 8%), and 6.1% 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.