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St John Payne Catholic School, Chelmsford

Chelmsford, CM1 4BSSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Jun 2024
Progress 8
+0.10
Above average
−20+2
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
176 1st-choice / 182 places
Ranking
#1,302
of 3,141 nationally

About St John Payne Catholic School, Chelmsford

St John Payne Catholic School in Chelmsford is a large secondary school running at near-full capacity with 1,210 pupils against 1,220 places, and demand is strong. For entry in 2025/26, the school received 622 applications for 182 places, an oversubscription ratio of 3.42, with 136 first-preference offers made from 176 first-preference applications. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 17.2%, which is above the national average for secondary schools and suggests a genuinely mixed intake. As a Roman Catholic school, it draws from a defined faith community, but the high application numbers indicate its appeal extends beyond that catchment. Headteacher Thomas Coen leads a school that has held a Good Ofsted rating across its recent inspections, with the most recent ungraded inspection in June 2024 confirming the school remains Good.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressPatching Hall Lane, Chelmsford, Chelmsford, CM1 4BS
HeadteacherThomas Coen
Local AuthorityEssex
Number of Pupils1,210
Free School Meals (FSM)17.2%
School Capacity1,210 / 1,220 (99% full)
Sixth FormYes

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
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

20 Jun 2024
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form Provision
Outstanding

Latest monitoring visit (20 Jun 2024): School remains Good

Source: Ofsted, 4 Feb 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

7
Swimming PoolScience LabsGymnasiumICT SuiteSixth Form CentreLibraryChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

19

Sports

Cross CountryBadmintonCricketRugbyBasketballRowingRoundersAthleticsMartial Arts

Clubs & Activities

Science ClubEco ClubDebateGardeningBook ClubYoung EnterpriseFilm ClubOrchestraArt ClubDuke of Edinburgh

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

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyProfound LearningMulti-SensoryOther

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About St John Payne Catholic School, Chelmsford

St John Payne Catholic School, Chelmsford has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.