The Boswells School
98%
Capacity
1,409
Pupils
3.5x
Demand
About The Boswells School
If you're a parent weighing up The Boswells School, the numbers suggest it's a popular choice. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 846 applications for 241 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.51, meaning over three families applied for every spot. Of those, 219 put it as their first preference, and 200 first-preference offers were made. That level of demand is a strong signal from local parents. The school is a mixed, non-religious state secondary for ages 11 to 18, located in Chelmsford, Essex, and currently rated Good by Ofsted following its most recent inspection in 2023. The inspection confirmed the school 'remains Good', consistent with its previous graded inspection in 2013, where leadership and management, sixth-form provision, and overall effectiveness were all rated Good.
Academically, the school's results sit around the local average. Its Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year was -0.16, which is slightly above the Essex local authority average of -0.18. This places The Boswells in the 'Average' progress banding nationally, ranking 9th out of 12 schools in Chelmsford and 37th out of 86 similar schools across the county. The Attainment 8 score was 46.4, with 66.7% of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths. At A-level, the school's value-added score was 0.06, also rated 'Average', with students achieving an average grade of B- per entry. The proportion of students achieving AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects was 8.8%. While not among the top-performing grammar schools in the area, the school provides solid, broadly average outcomes for its cohort.
The school is well-equipped, with facilities including a theatre, swimming pool, astro turf, and a dedicated Sixth Form Centre. It offers a wide range of sports from rowing to martial arts, plus clubs like the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, debate, and coding. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists provisions for ten categories of need, including Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Speech, Language & Communication needs, and Specific Learning Difficulties like dyslexia. With 15.7% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse intake. Given its oversubscription, applying as a first preference is advisable. This school suits families looking for a large, well-resourced comprehensive with a strong local reputation, solid but not exceptional results, and a broad extracurricular offer.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Burnham Road, Chelmsford, Chelmsford, CM1 6LY |
| Headteacher | Stephen Mansell |
| Local Authority | Essex |
| Number of Pupils | 1,409 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 15.7% |
| School Capacity | 1,409 / 1,431 (98% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
22 Feb 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (22 Feb 2023): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 17 May 2013. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.16)
1907th of 3,141
Nationally
222nd of 350
In East of England
9th of 12
In Chelmsford
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
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
41.2
'22/23
36.3
'23/24
37.6
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
2022/2351%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 245 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)51%
- FE college32%
- Employment6%
- Sixth form college4%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Not sustained2%
98% 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
2022/2366%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 128 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
11%
Russell Group
14%
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)66%
- Employment23%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Not sustained3%
- Further education1%
- Other education1%
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- Psychology44
- Law40
- Sociology34
- Media/Film/Tv Studies30
- Economics25
- Mathematics24
- Business Studies:Single22
- Biology17
- History16
- Chemistry15
- Geography13
- Government and Politics10
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
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed241
846
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
219 families put this school as their 1st choice (26% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:35 – 15:00
Source: boswells-school.com. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% 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%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British75.9%
- Asian6.9%
- Mixed5.1%
- White (other)4.5%
- Black0.3%
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.
7
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
5
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 The Boswells School
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
Burnham Road, Chelmsford
Chelmsford, CM1 6LY
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
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