St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester

St Teresa's Catholic Primary School is performing exceptionally well. This was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first section 5 inspection since January 2014, when it was judged outstanding and subsequently exempt from routine inspection. The school is part of the Rosary Trust and has a Christian character. Under the current framework it does not receive an overall effectiveness grade, but it was judged outstanding in quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. Pupils flourish academically and socially. They make rapid progress through an ambitious curriculum delivered by highly skilled teachers, and reading is taught very well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported and access the same rich curriculum, including through the new 'Hive' provision for pupils with more complex needs. Behaviour is impeccable, pupils are polite and hardworking, and they develop a strong moral compass through charity work, leadership responsibilities and respectful debate. Leadership is a notable strength: staff feel well supported, collaborate closely and benefit from ongoing professional development, while governance provides high levels of challenge and support. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. The report identifies no areas of concern or required improvement.

Strengths

• Highly skilled teachers deliver an ambitious curriculum to an excellent standard
• Pupils make rapid progress, are knowledgeable and remember what they have been taught
• Reading is taught very well, with effective support for pupils who need additional early reading teaching
• Continuing professional development keeps staff skills and knowledge up to date
• The school is highly inclusive and well trained to identify and meet pupils' individual needs
• Pupils with SEND access the same rich curriculum, with resources and the 'Hive' provision supporting communication and language
• Behaviour is impeccable and pupils are polite, well-mannered and hardworking
• Children in the early years concentrate for extended periods and develop strong scientific vocabulary
• Pupils develop a strong moral compass through charity fundraising and leadership responsibilities
• Pupils learn to discuss and debate issues respectfully and understand different views and religions
• Staff work closely as a team and feel very well supported by leaders at all levels
• Governance challenges and supports the school to a high level
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

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 St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester attended 96.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.8% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

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, 0.0% of pupils at St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). 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 St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester had 24.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

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, 4.8% of pupils at St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

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 primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester received £6,772 and spent £6,758 for each of its 218 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £37,000 (£170 per pupil).

Across all 7 schools of The Rosary Trust - A Catholic Multi Academy, income was £7,679 and spending £7,558 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

St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester is part of The Rosary Trust - A Catholic Multi Academy, which runs 7 schools. The nearest others:

• St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, Colchester Colchester
• Holy Family Catholic Primary School Witham
• St Clare's Catholic Primary School Clacton-On-Sea
• St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
• St Pius X Catholic Primary School Chelmsford
• Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School Chelmsford

What is St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester is Outstanding, from an inspection in March 2025.

When was St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester last inspected by Ofsted?

St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester was last inspected in March 2025.

How many pupils does St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester have?

St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester has 252 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester cover?

St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 74% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester?

St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester is at Clairmont Road, Lexden, Colchester, Essex, CO3 9BE.