Millfields Primary School
99%
Capacity
215
Pupils
3.5x
Demand
About Millfields Primary School
Millfields Primary School in Colchester stands out against the Essex local authority average for Key Stage 2 performance. The school achieved 72% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, a full ten percentage points above the LA average of 62%. This places Millfields 15th out of 51 primary schools in Colchester and in the top 50% nationally. The school's reading scores are particularly strong, with an average scaled score of 108 and 89% of pupils hitting the expected standard. In maths, the average score was 105, with 80% meeting expectations. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher standard in reading was 38%, while in maths it was 27% and in writing 20%. These figures suggest a school that consistently outperforms its local peers, despite being one of the smaller primaries in the area with 215 pupils on roll.
The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2025 rated it Good across all areas, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and early years provision. This represents a change from its previous Outstanding rating in 2014, though inspectors noted the school continues to perform well. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive, with 90% of respondents saying they would recommend the school. Strong majorities agreed that children are happy (94% strongly agree or agree), feel safe (96%), and do well (90%). The school's SEND provision receives mixed views, however, with 44% of parents disagreeing that children with special educational needs get the support they need, compared to 55% who agree. The school supports a range of needs including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social and emotional mental health needs.
Millfields is a popular choice in Colchester, receiving 104 applications for just 30 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, making it oversubscribed with a ratio of 3.47 applicants per place. Of those, 31 were first-preference applications, and all 30 first-preference offers were taken up. The school has a low proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 6%, well below the national average. Facilities include a sports hall, forest school area, music rooms, ICT suite, library, and playing fields. Clubs range from coding and eco club to gardening and drama, while sports provision covers cricket, netball, swimming, gymnastics, cross country, and football. With no religious character and a mixed intake, Millfields suits families looking for a strong academic record in a well-regarded community primary, though those with SEND children may want to investigate support arrangements further.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 4 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Bowes Road, Colchester, Colchester, CO7 9RD |
| Headteacher | Natasha Bennett |
| Local Authority | Essex |
| Number of Pupils | 215 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 6.0% |
| School Capacity | 215 / 218 (99% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
25 Mar 2025Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 18 May 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (72%)
3545th of 13,686
Nationally
353rd of 1,612
In East of England
15th of 51
In Colchester
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
72%
Expected Standard
14%
Higher Standard
'22/23
76%
'23/24
72%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
Ofsted Parent View
102 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
12Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed30
104
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
31 families put this school as their 1st choice (30% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:15
Breakfast club
07:30-08:35
Source: millfields.essex.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British73.5%
- Mixed8.9%
- White (other)7.4%
- Asian4.2%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
3
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
3
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About Millfields Primary School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Bowes Road, Colchester
Colchester, CO7 9RD
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at Millfields Primary School!
Write a Review