Kendall Church of England Primary School

About Kendall Church of England Primary School

If you're looking for a primary school where parents are overwhelmingly positive, Kendall Church of England Primary School in Colchester makes a strong first impression. In the most recent Parent View survey, covering the period up to September 2025, a remarkable 98% of the 64 respondents said they would recommend the school to other parents. That near-unanimous satisfaction is backed up by the detail: 99% of parents strongly agreed or agreed that their child is happy, and every single respondent felt their child is safe. The school is also heavily oversubscribed. For its 30 Reception places in the 2025/26 academic year, it received 110 applications in total, with 48 families listing it as their first preference. That works out at 3.67 applications for every available place, a clear signal of its popularity among local families. Headteacher Clare French leads a school that is currently operating slightly above its official capacity of 210 pupils, with 214 children on roll.

Academically, Kendall Church of England Primary School is performing well above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 77% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a local authority average of 62%. The school ranks 8th out of 51 primary schools in Colchester, placing it in the top 25% nationally. A closer look at the individual subjects shows strong results: 87% of pupils met the expected standard in maths, with an average scaled score of 107, while 83% hit the target in reading and 80% in writing. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher standard in all three areas was 10%. This academic strength is reflected in the school's most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2025, where it was rated Outstanding across every category that was judged, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and early years provision. This is an upgrade from its previous Good rating in 2014.

The school offers a solid range of facilities, including a library, ICT suite, art studios, a gymnasium, playing fields, a sensory room and a chapel. Sports on offer include cricket, gymnastics, dance and football, while extracurricular clubs extend to book club, chess, coding, film club and science club. For families with children who have special educational needs, the school lists provisions for a wide range of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. In the Parent View survey, 94% of respondents agreed that SEND children receive the support they need. Given its oversubscription, this is a school that suits families who are confident it matches their values and are prepared to apply early. Its Church of England character is woven into the school's identity, but the data suggests its appeal reaches well beyond any single faith group.

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