Classpot

Honywood School

Braintree, CO6 1PZSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Dec 2022
Progress 8
-0.33
Below average
−20+2
Competition
1.1×
Oversubscribed
191 1st-choice / 175 places
Ranking
#2,304
of 3,141 nationally

About Honywood School

Honywood School is a state secondary for 11-16 year olds in Braintree, Essex, and it is a school that local families clearly want to get into. For the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 477 applications for 175 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.73. Of those, 191 were first-preference applications, and 162 first-preference offers were made. This level of demand suggests that parents in the area see something worthwhile here. The school is rated Good by Ofsted following its most recent inspection in December 2022, a rating it has held consistently across both its recent inspections. The inspection report gave top marks of Good across all four key areas: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. With 821 pupils on roll against a capacity of 800, the school is operating slightly above its intended size, which is another sign of its popularity.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressWestfield Drive, Colchester, Braintree, CO6 1PZ
HeadteacherJames Saunders
Local AuthorityEssex
Number of Pupils821
Free School Meals (FSM)18.0%
School Capacity821 / 800 (103% full)

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
See an example
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

6 Dec 2022
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

Source: Ofsted, 30 Jan 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

8
Science LabsSports HallMusic RoomsTennis CourtsICT SuiteLibrarySixth Form CentreChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

19

Sports

GymnasticsCross CountryRowingSwimmingCricketRugbyHockeyAthleticsFootballRounders

Clubs & Activities

Model United NationsCodingArt ClubGardeningScience ClubBook ClubChessChoirDrama

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyProfound LearningOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Honywood School

Honywood School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.