St John Payne Catholic School, Chelmsford
99%
Capacity
1,210
Pupils
3.4x
Demand
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.
Academically, St John Payne delivers solid results that sit above the local authority average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.1 means pupils achieve slightly better than the national average, and notably above the Essex LA average of -0.18. Attainment 8 stands at 49.8, and 75% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, while 50.5% reached grade 5 or above. The school’s EBacc entry rate is low at 9.9%, and the EBacc average point score is 4.02. In the sixth form, the school is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, with 115 pupils in the cohort achieving an average points per entry of 34.14, equivalent to a C+ grade. The best three A-levels average out at a B-, and the value-added score of -0.1 is within the average banding. Nationally, the school ranks 1,302 out of 3,141 schools on Progress 8, placing it in the top half.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, science labs, gymnasium, ICT suite, sixth form centre, library and chapel. Sports provision is extensive, with rowing, martial arts, rugby and athletics among the options, and clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Young Enterprise, orchestra and debate. SEND support is comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. For families weighing up options, St John Payne is a good fit if you want a large, oversubscribed Catholic secondary with strong but not elite outcomes, a well-regarded sixth form, and a genuinely mixed socioeconomic intake. Its Chelmsford location places it within a mile of the nearest Outstanding school, Chelmsford County High School for Girls, but for a co-educational, faith-based option with solid progress scores, it holds its own.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Patching Hall Lane, Chelmsford, Chelmsford, CM1 4BS |
| Headteacher | Thomas Coen |
| Local Authority | Essex |
| Number of Pupils | 1,210 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 17.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,210 / 1,220 (99% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
20 Jun 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (20 Jun 2024): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 4 Feb 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.10)
1302nd of 3,141
Nationally
146th of 350
In East of England
7th of 12
In Chelmsford
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
37.4
'22/23
35.6
'23/24
34.1
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
2022/2364%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 191 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)64%
- FE college26%
- Sixth form college4%
- Not sustained4%
- Apprenticeship1%
96% 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
2022/2365%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 120 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
27%
Russell Group
37%
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)65%
- Employment23%
- Not sustained8%
- 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- Psychology36
- Biology27
- Law22
- Business Studies:Single19
- Chemistry19
- Sociology19
- Economics17
- Mathematics17
- Computer Studies / Computing14
- English Literature14
- Geography14
- Physics13
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
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed182
622
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
176 families put this school as their 1st choice (28% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British43.2%
- Asian10.4%
- Mixed7.9%
- White (other)7.6%
- Black2.4%
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
2024/25Half 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.
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.
10
Total schools
9
Oversubscribed
6
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About St John Payne Catholic School, Chelmsford
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
Patching Hall Lane, Chelmsford
Chelmsford, CM1 4BS
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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