The Thomas Lord Audley School
110%
Capacity
921
Pupils
2.3x
Demand
About The Thomas Lord Audley School
The Thomas Lord Audley School in Colchester has been rated Good by Ofsted following its most recent graded inspection, a significant improvement from its previous rating of Requires Improvement. The single most informative exam metric for this 11-16 mixed secondary is its Progress 8 score of -0.13, which places the school in the ‘Average’ band nationally. While that score is slightly below the national average of zero, it actually sits above the Essex local authority average of -0.18, meaning pupils here make progress broadly in line with or a touch better than their peers across the county. In the Colchester area specifically, the school ranks 6th out of 10 secondary schools on this measure, and nationally it sits in the 58th percentile. The Attainment 8 score of 40.5 gives a sense of overall GCSE performance, and 57% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths.
Digging deeper into the results, the school’s Ebacc average point score of 3.48 and the fact that 24.2% of pupils entered the Ebacc suite of subjects suggest a reasonable academic breadth, though the basics 9-5 pass rate in English and maths drops to 37.6%. The Progress 8 breakdown shows English is the strongest subject area at -0.02, while maths and the open bucket are both at -0.2. Parent feedback is notably positive: 90% of the 146 respondents would recommend the school, and 92% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy. Strong majorities also felt the school has high expectations and that their child does well. On SEND support, 77% of parents agreed the school gives the right help, which aligns with the school’s listed provisions for dyslexia, autism, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health.
The school is oversubscribed, with 440 applications for 191 places in the 2025/26 intake, and 187 of those offers went to first-preference families. It operates as an 11-16 secondary with no sixth form, so pupils will need to move on after Year 11. Facilities are strong for a state school, including a swimming pool, astro turf, tennis courts, science labs, art studios and a gymnasium. Clubs range from Model UN and Young Enterprise to gardening and film club, while sports include rowing, rugby and athletics. With 30.4% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse intake. It suits families who want a solid, improving local secondary with good facilities and a parent body that feels genuinely positive about the school’s direction, particularly those whose children might benefit from the SEND support on offer.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Monkwick Avenue, Colchester, Colchester, CO2 8NJ |
| Headteacher | Simon Essex |
| Local Authority | Essex |
| Number of Pupils | 921 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 30.4% |
| School Capacity | 921 / 840 (110% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
26 Mar 2025Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (26 Mar 2025): Standards maintained
Source: Ofsted, 13 May 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.13)
1825th of 3,141
Nationally
211th of 350
In East of England
6th of 10
In Colchester
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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/231%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 160 pupils).
- FE college53%
- Sixth form college28%
- Employment8%
- Not sustained7%
- Apprenticeship2%
- School sixth form (stay)1%
93% 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.
Ofsted Parent View
146 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
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
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed191
440
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
223 families put this school as their 1st choice (51% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:10
Source: tla.essex.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British87.2%
- Mixed4.7%
- White (other)3.8%
- Asian0.4%
- Black0.2%
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.
75% 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.
6
Total schools
4
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Thomas Lord Audley 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
Monkwick Avenue, Colchester
Colchester, CO2 8NJ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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