Philip Morant School and College
96%
Capacity
1,828
Pupils
3.1x
Demand
About Philip Morant School and College
Philip Morant School and College is a popular choice among local families, with 277 first-preference applications for 258 offers made in the 2025/26 admissions round. The school is officially oversubscribed, receiving 1,033 total applications for 328 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.15. This level of demand suggests a strong reputation among parents in Colchester, though no parent-view survey data is available in the school's most recent inspection to confirm satisfaction levels directly. The school is led by headteacher Stephanie Neill and operates as a mixed, state secondary for pupils aged 11 to 18, with a current roll of 1,828 students against a capacity of 1,902. A quarter of pupils (25.9%) are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average and indicates a diverse intake.
Academically, the school's most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2023 rated it Good across all categories, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. This marks a significant improvement from its previous inspection in 2018, when it was rated Inadequate overall. At Key Stage 4, pupils achieved a Progress 8 score of -0.13, which is slightly above the local authority average of -0.18 and places the school in the Average banding nationally. The Attainment 8 score stands at 45.6, with 47.5% of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and maths. In the sixth form, the average A-level grade was a C, with points per entry at 25.23 and a value-added score of -0.17, which is also rated Average. The school ranks 7th out of 10 schools in Colchester by Progress 8, and 36th out of 86 similar schools across Essex.
The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a sports hall, swimming pool, astro turf, theatre, science labs, music rooms, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports on offer include tennis, basketball, gymnastics, swimming, cricket, and martial arts, while extracurricular clubs cover book club, debate, chess, coding, Model UN, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. The school has a strong SEND provision, with support for autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, speech and language needs, physical disabilities, and social, emotional and mental health needs, as well as a resourced provision. With an oversubscription ratio of 3.15, families should be prepared to apply early and list the school as a first preference. Philip Morant is a good fit for families seeking a large, inclusive secondary with a broad curriculum and strong sixth form, particularly those who value improvement and a diverse pupil body.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Address | Rembrandt Way, Colchester, Colchester, CO3 4QS |
| Headteacher | Stephanie Neill |
| Local Authority | Essex |
| Number of Pupils | 1,828 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 25.9% |
| School Capacity | 1,828 / 1,902 (96% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
13 Sept 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 19 Oct 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.13)
1834th of 3,141
Nationally
213th of 350
In East of England
7th of 10
In Colchester
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
24.0
'22/23
22.2
'23/24
25.2
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2314%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 295 pupils).
- Sixth form college40%
- FE college29%
- School sixth form (stay)14%
- Employment6%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship3%
93% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2342%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 127 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
3%
Russell Group
5%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)42%
- Employment31%
- Not sustained13%
- Further education5%
- Other education5%
- Apprenticeship3%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology20
- Mathematics15
- Business Studies:Single10
- Physics10
- Chemistry8
- Biology7
- Law7
- Economics6
- Sociology6
- English Literature5
- Media/Film/Tv Studies5
- Art and Design (Photography)4
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
14Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed328
1,033
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
277 families put this school as their 1st choice (27% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:25 – 14:55
Source: pmsc.school. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British68.0%
- Mixed7.8%
- White (other)5.8%
- Asian4.7%
- Black1.0%
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
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given 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.
13
Total schools
11
Oversubscribed
8
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Philip Morant School and College
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Rembrandt Way, Colchester
Colchester, CO3 4QS
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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