Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
similar schools
Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is a Church of England school (voluntary aided) in Colchester for boys and girls aged 5 to 11. It has 124 pupils and room for 140. About 10 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 33 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 30% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2019.
School Hill, Birch, Colchester, CO2 0LZ01206 330224birch.essex.sch.ukMrs Rebekah May headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 3 December 2019, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Good overall. A later, shorter visit on 25 February 2025 said: “Standards maintained”.
This inspection is more than 6 years old. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of one grade.
Earlier inspections (1)
| Date | Type | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 25 February 2025 | Ungraded | Standards maintained |
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
22 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 22 | 18 | 22 | 25 | 24 | 19 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 55% | 44% | 91% | 88% | 92% | 79% | 64% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 5% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 8% | 21% | 10% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 106.0 | 103.0 | 108.0 | 108.0 | 107.0 | 108.0 | 105.9 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 106.0 | 101.0 | 107.0 | 107.0 | 105.0 | 109.0 | 104.8 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 106.0 | 102.0 | 108.0 | 109.0 | 107.0 | 107.0 | 105.3 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 73% | 56% | 91% | 88% | 100% | 89% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 86% | 56% | 95% | 96% | 96% | 95% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 64% | 61% | 95% | 88% | 92% | 79% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | +1.2 | +1.4 | -0.6 | +1.3 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | +0.9 | +0.5 | -1.5 | +3.1 | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
Does every child do well here?
A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. Every gap at this school is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.
At the end of primary school, 2025
Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.
Getting a place
Admissions policy not published. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.
About 9 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have fallen by 8% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.
How places were given out for September 2026. The last place was given under this rule: Criterion 7.
| Entry | Places | Applied at all | How far the last child lived | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Primary | 20 | 40 | – | LA |
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 27.5 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 23.0 (England 27.3).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (4), emotional and mental health (4), language and communications needs (2), Hearing impairment (1), Moderate learning difficulty (1), Physical disability (1).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 124 | 131 | 119 | 133 | 143 | 145 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 11% | 9% | 13% | 13% | 11% | 10% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 1% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 1% | 1% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 24% | 26% | 19% | 17% | 19% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.1% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 4.9% | 4.9% | 5.3% | 6.0% | 2.1% | 3.7% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 4.2% | 3.9% | 4.2% | 4.5% | 1.7% | 3.0% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 0.7% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 1.6% | 0.4% | 0.8% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 11.8% | 9.3% | 13.2% | 12.4% | 1.5% | 5.3% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Layer-de-la-Haye Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School | Church of England | 1.6 miles | 203 | Good 2023 | 84 | Compare |
| Copford Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School | Church of England | 2.1 miles | 202 | Report card 2026 | 89 | Compare |
| Lakelands Primary School | Free school | 2.6 miles | 340 | Outstanding 2023 | 100 | Compare |
| Stanway Fiveways Primary School | Council | 2.7 miles | 473 | Good 2022 | 30 | Compare |
| Gosbecks Primary School | Council | 2.7 miles | 227 | Good 2024 | 32 | Compare |
| St Michael's Primary School and Nursery, Colchester | Council | 2.8 miles | 228 | No overall grade 2025 | 64 | Compare |
| Stanway Primary School | Council | 3.0 miles | 390 | Good 2022 | 25 | Compare |
| St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester | Academy | 3.0 miles | 252 | No overall grade 2025 | 96 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School with the 47 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 47 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 33 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 33% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 14 to 63. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 25% | in line | -0.04 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 22 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 11% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old) | in line | +0.01 | Ofsted grade, 6.8 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | in line | +0.03 | DfE progress measure; 22 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | well below | -0.19 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | in line | +0.03 | 2024/25; 119 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | below | -0.05 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 22 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | no data | – |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School a good school?
The figures are weak. Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School scores 33 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 30% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 14 to 63, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.
What is Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School good at its last full inspection on 3 December 2019. That was more than four years ago. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of a single grade.
How good are Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 55% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 5% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School have?
124 pupils aged 5 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 140 places, so it is 89% full.
Is Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School oversubscribed?
Probably not. 9 places were empty in 2024/25 (6% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Pupils were in school 95.1% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 12% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
The average class had 24.8 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- School Hill, Birch, Colchester, CO2 0LZ
- Telephone
- 01206 330224
- Website
- www.birch.essex.sch.uk
- Headteacher
- Mrs Rebekah May
- Type of school
- Church of England school (voluntary aided) (Voluntary aided school, local authority maintained schools)
- Phase
- Primary school, ages 5-11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England, Diocese of Chelmsford
- Local authority
- Essex
- Ward
- Marks Tey and Layer
- Constituency
- Witham
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
- URN
- 115138 · LAESTAB 8813309 · UKPRN 10070987
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, consistent financial reporting 2024/25.
- Admissions outcomes: Essex council's published allocation statistics (source), entry years 2026.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.