Monkwick Infant and Nursery School

Monkwick Infant and Nursery School continues to maintain effective standards demonstrated at its previous inspection in 2019. The school fosters a happy and inclusive atmosphere where pupils feel welcome and valued. With a strong emphasis on high expectations for all learners, the curriculum is designed to enrich language and subject-specific knowledge, successfully engaging pupils across various subjects. The school is part of The Sigma Trust and has adapted well to the increasing needs of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), reflecting a commitment to continually improve and support all students.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy, polite, and curious.
• The curriculum is rich in language and subject-specific knowledge.
• Effective teaching methods ensure pupils build on prior knowledge.
• Strong emphasis on reading and phonics from early years.
• Adaptations for increasing SEND needs, including the 'Nest' provision.
• Positive and focused pupil behavior with effective behavior management strategies.
• Wide range of extracurricular activities enhances personal development.

Areas for Improvement

• Some assessment methods in foundation subjects are not fully embedded.

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 Monkwick Infant and Nursery School attended 92.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 22.8% 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, 6.5% of pupils at Monkwick Infant and Nursery School 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 Monkwick Infant and Nursery School had 14.3 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, 15.4% of pupils at Monkwick Infant and Nursery School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.7% 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 Monkwick Infant and Nursery School received £7,710 and spent £8,823 for each of its 160 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £45,000 (£279 per pupil).

Across all 12 schools of The Sigma Trust, income was £8,335 and spending £8,168 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

Monkwick Infant and Nursery School is part of The Sigma Trust, which runs 12 schools. The nearest others:

• Monkwick Junior School Colchester
• The Thomas Lord Audley School Colchester
• Paxman Academy Colchester
• Philip Morant School and College Colchester
• St Helena School Colchester
• The Stanway School Colchester
• Colne Community School Colchester
• Alton Park Junior School Clacton-On-Sea
• Clacton County High School Clacton-On-Sea
• Holland Park Primary School Clacton-On-Sea

What is Monkwick Infant and Nursery School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Monkwick Infant and Nursery School is Good, from an inspection in April 2025.

When was Monkwick Infant and Nursery School last inspected by Ofsted?

Monkwick Infant and Nursery School was last inspected in April 2025.

How many pupils does Monkwick Infant and Nursery School have?

Monkwick Infant and Nursery School has 149 pupils on roll.

What age range does Monkwick Infant and Nursery School cover?

Monkwick Infant and Nursery School for pupils aged 2 to 7.

Where is Monkwick Infant and Nursery School?

Monkwick Infant and Nursery School is at School Road, Monkwick, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8NN.