Collingwood Primary School

About Collingwood Primary School

Collingwood Primary School is a state-funded mixed primary in Chelmsford, within the Essex local authority. Among the 444 primary schools in Essex, it ranks at 267th, placing it in the bottom half of the LA. Its closest top-performing peers include Stambridge Primary School and St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School in Colchester, both of which achieve the highest possible ranking score of 100, alongside Great Totham Primary School on 95. The school itself has a ranking score of 55, based on the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2. It is also notably oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 76 applications for 32 places, with 29 of those coming as first preferences. This level of demand suggests it holds a strong local reputation, even if its formal ranking places it below many of its Essex neighbours.

In its most recent graded Ofsted inspection, carried out in 2016, Collingwood was rated Good overall, with Good marks for leadership and management, and for early years provision. A subsequent ungraded inspection in 2021 confirmed the school remains Good. This represents a clear improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2014, when it was rated Requires Improvement. At Key Stage 2 in the 2023/24 academic year, 55% of pupils achieved the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, below the Essex LA average of 62%. However, the school’s average scaled scores were 104 in reading and 102 in maths, both slightly above the national baseline of 100. A smaller proportion of pupils reached the higher standard: 10% in maths, 26% in reading, and 19% in writing. The school does not have a sixth form, and its Progress 8 scores are not available, so it is not possible to assess how much value it adds relative to pupils’ starting points.

The school offers a broad set of facilities including playing fields, an ICT suite, art studios, a forest school, and an outdoor playground. Sports provision covers gymnastics, rounders, swimming, cross country, and cricket, while extracurricular clubs include gardening, book club, drama, choir, and chess. Collingwood has a well-developed SEND offer, with provisions for moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder, and other difficulties. With 227 pupils on roll against a capacity of 315, the school is not at full capacity, yet it is oversubscribed, suggesting it is a popular choice among local families. It does not offer nursery provision or boarding. This school will suit parents seeking a Good-rated primary in Chelmsford with a strong sense of community and a wide range of enrichment activities, particularly those whose children may benefit from its SEND support.

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