William de Ferrers School

About William de Ferrers School

William de Ferrers School is a large mixed secondary and sixth form in Chelmsford, part of the Essex local authority. In the most recent Progress 8 rankings across Essex, it sits 57th out of 86 same-type schools, placing it in the bottom half of the county. For context, the top-performing peers in the area include King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford, Colchester Royal Grammar School, and Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School, all of which achieve well above average Progress 8 scores. William de Ferrers’ own Progress 8 score of -0.41 is below the Essex average of -0.18, and the school ranks 10th out of 12 schools within Chelmsford itself. Its most recent Ofsted inspection judged the school as Requires Improvement overall, though inspectors rated behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth form provision all as Good.

Academically, the school’s results reflect a mixed picture. At Key Stage 4, the Attainment 8 score is 41.2, and the proportion of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths is 60.6%, dropping to 39.4% at grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 3.42, with only 15.6% of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects. Progress 8 is below average nationally, with particular weakness in English (-0.54) and the EBacc subjects (-0.59), while maths progress is closer to average at -0.16. At Key Stage 5, the picture is more encouraging: the sixth form was rated Good by Ofsted, and the value added score is -0.09, which falls within the average banding. The average points per entry is 26.24, equivalent to a C- grade, and the best three A-levels average out at 27.17 points, also a C-. The proportion of A-level entries achieving AAB or higher is 7.5%.

The school offers a wide range of facilities including a theatre, swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, and dedicated sixth form centre, plus clubs such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Eco Club, and Model UN. It supports a broad spectrum of SEND needs, from dyslexia and autism to profound and multiple learning difficulties. Parent View responses from 159 parents show that 68% would recommend the school. However, concerns are notable: only 38% of parents agree that SEND children receive the support they need, and 41% disagree. For the 2025/26 admissions cycle, the school was oversubscribed with 434 applications for 216 places, and 202 first-preference offers were made. This is a school that suits families looking for a large, well-facilitated comprehensive with a Good sixth form, but who are aware that its core secondary phase is currently rated Requires Improvement and that academic outcomes lag behind the local average.

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