St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, Colchester

About St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, Colchester

Nearly all parents who responded to the school's most recent survey said they would recommend St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, Colchester, and the numbers back up that enthusiasm. The school is heavily oversubscribed: for its 29 places in the 2025/26 intake, it received 64 applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.21. Of those, 32 put it as their first preference, and all 29 first-preference offers were taken up. With 205 pupils on a capacity of 210, the school is running very close to full. Headteacher Bridget Harris leads a school where just 3.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the national average. The school's Catholic character is woven into daily life, and facilities include a chapel, library, art studios, sports hall and playing fields. For families seeking a faith-based primary with strong local demand, this is clearly a popular choice.

Academically, St Thomas More's is among the strongest primaries in the country. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, every single pupil reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths — a perfect 100% — compared with the Essex local authority average of 62%. The proportion reaching the higher standard in all three subjects was 21%, and in maths alone 69% of pupils achieved the higher bar, with an average maths score of 114. Reading was similarly strong, with 66% reaching the higher standard and an average score of 112. Writing saw 24% at the higher level. These results place the school first out of 51 primaries in Colchester, third out of 1,612 in the East of England, and 23rd nationally out of 13,686. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2023, awarded Outstanding across every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — a rating it has now held since at least 2008.

Beyond the classroom, St Thomas More's offers a broad range of clubs including gardening, coding, eco club, chess and film club, plus sports such as cricket, netball, football and athletics. The school has a dedicated chapel on site and its SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. For Catholic families in Colchester who want a primary with outstanding academic outcomes and a strong sense of community, this school is a natural fit. Its high oversubscription ratio means applying early and as a first preference is essential. The nearest other Outstanding-rated primary is Kendall Church of England Primary School, 1.5 km away, so St Thomas More's is not the only strong option locally, but its combination of perfect SATs results and consistent Ofsted ratings makes it a standout choice.

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