Colchester County High School for Girls

Colchester County High School for Girls is an exceptional institution that has maintained its outstanding performance across all areas since its last inspection in 2009. The school fosters a respectful and nurturing environment where pupils thrive academically and personally. High expectations from staff, coupled with student motivation, contribute to a culture of determination and achievement. The school is well-organized and provides an impressive array of leadership opportunities, while also emphasizing the importance of reading and support for students with special educational needs.

Strengths

• Outstanding quality of education and high academic outcomes for pupils.
• Exceptional behaviour and attitudes among pupils.
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs.
• Rich range of extra-curricular activities and leadership opportunities.
• Strong emphasis on personal development and well-being.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Colchester County High School for Girls attended 95.8% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 7.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 1.2% of pupils at Colchester County High School for Girls were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Colchester County High School for Girls had 17.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 2.8% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 1.5% of pupils at Colchester County High School for Girls were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 0.0% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Colchester County High School for Girls received £7,599 and spent £7,348 for each of its 1,210 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £2,441,000 (£2,018 per pupil).

Across all 5 schools of Alpha Trust, income was £7,215 and spending £7,158 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Colchester · Essex local authority: places and applications

Colchester County High School for Girls is part of Alpha Trust, which runs 5 schools. The nearest others:

• Home Farm Primary School Colchester
• The Gilberd School Colchester
• The Trinity School Colchester
• Manningtree High School Manningtree

What is Colchester County High School for Girls's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Colchester County High School for Girls is Outstanding, from an inspection in January 2024.

When was Colchester County High School for Girls last inspected by Ofsted?

Colchester County High School for Girls was last inspected in January 2024.

How many pupils does Colchester County High School for Girls have?

Colchester County High School for Girls has 1,198 pupils on roll.

What age range does Colchester County High School for Girls cover?

Colchester County High School for Girls for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Colchester County High School for Girls's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 79.7, and 98% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Colchester County High School for Girls?

Colchester County High School for Girls is at Norman Way, Colchester, Essex, CO3 3US.