The Cathedral Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chelmsford
About The Cathedral Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chelmsford
The Cathedral Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School in Chelmsford is clearly a popular choice among local families. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 114 applications for just 45 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.53. Of those, 54 families put it as their first preference, and all 45 first-preference applicants were offered a place. This level of demand suggests a strong reputation in the community, though it is worth noting that the school does not publish a parent-view recommendation percentage in its data. The school is a Church of England state primary for mixed genders aged 4 to 11, with a capacity of 315 pupils and currently 313 on roll. Headteacher Gemma Smith leads a school that has a relatively low proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 7.7%, which is below the national average.
Key Details
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 EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
2 Nov 2021Source: Ofsted, 13 Dec 2021. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
5Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
7Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 15:15
Breakfast club
07:45-08:40
Source: cathedralschool.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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