School Chooser

St. George's School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedCouncil609 pupilsNurseryColchesterEssex
School Chooser Score
38
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 23 to 56
Out of 100. Better than 43% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, November 2023
Reached the expected level at 1156%England 63%
Attendance92.1%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families34%A bit more than most schools
Places21 spare609 pupils, 630 places
Pupils per teacher20.9School workforce census

St. George's School is a council school in Colchester for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 609 pupils and room for 630. About 34 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit more than at most schools. We give it 38 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 43% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Canterbury Road, Colchester, CO2 7RU01206 506800stgeorgesschool.orgMr James Newell headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 28 November 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

90 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1156%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level4%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score102.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score102.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 55%55%20172018: 47%47%20182019: 59%59%20192023: 60%60%20232024: 56%56%20242025: 56%56%2025
Since 2017: +1%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017EssexEngland
Pupils tested908885889085
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths56%56%60%59%47%55%64%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths4%10%6%7%8%8%10%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score102.0105.0103.0102.0103.0103.0105.9105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score102.0105.0102.0103.0101.0103.0104.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score103.0106.0105.0106.0105.0106.0105.3105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard67%72%65%66%69%69%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard62%73%69%74%57%71%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)72%67%75%83%79%88%
Reading progressReading progress score+2.9-1.0-0.3-0.3
Maths progressMaths progress score+2.5-1.0-2.0-1.0
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged53%24%42%41%33%45%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged57%68%68%70%53%64%

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. 2 of the 4 gaps are 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

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
53%57%
Gap 4 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
59%52%
Gap 7 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
67%56%
Gap 11 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
6%4%
Gap 2 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

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.

Nearly full590 pupils for 620 places, 2024/25
95% full

Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference. Pupil numbers have grown by 4% since 2021/22, so places are getting harder to come by.

How places were given out for September 2026. The last place was given under this rule: Criterion 4.

EntryPlacesApplied at allHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary75120LA

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.

Pupils on roll609Census January 2026
Places63097% full
Pupils from low-income families33%34% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English22%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support14%88 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%21 pupils with a plan
Average class size27.221 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils14%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)35%£310,000 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls307 / 302
White British pupils53%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 23.8 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 29.8 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (32), Autistic spectrum disorder (25), emotional and mental health (24), language and communications needs (16), Moderate learning difficulty (5), Other difficulty or disability (3).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll609626641633598613
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals33%34%33%35%36%32%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language22%20%19%18%16%15%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support17%16%16%13%13%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%2%1%2%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 92.1% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance92.1%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school26.4%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils7.52024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission2.0%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence7.9%7.4%8.0%8.3%3.7%4.4%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence5.9%5.6%6.2%6.4%2.8%3.1%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.0%1.8%1.8%1.9%0.9%1.3%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence26.4%21.8%26.0%27.1%8.4%10.8%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate7.55.21.75.04.2
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers28.9full-time equivalent, 32 people
Pupils per teacher20.9Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants25.4full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£48,118
Teachers who left in the year17%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher2.62024/25

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.

Spend per pupil£6,180England £7,738. Total £3.8m
Income per pupil£6,674England £7,697. Total £4.1m
Spent on teachers per pupil£2,782England £3,480
Money in reserve19%A healthy amount put by: £757k, £1,243 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out+£301kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,180spent per pupil

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

Crimes within 500 m51312 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate109 per 1,000 people19% higher than the England average
Typical house price£325,000Colchester
Nearest bus stop170 mPownall Crescent, 15 stops within 500 m

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.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Kendall Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England890 m209No overall grade 202591Compare
St John's Green Primary SchoolCouncil1000 m591Good 202353Compare
St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, ColchesterAcademy0.7 miles209Outstanding 202399Compare
Monkwick Infant and Nursery SchoolAcademy0.8 miles149Not inspectedCompare
Monkwick Junior SchoolAcademy0.8 miles234Good 20228Compare
St James the Great Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy0.9 miles438Good 201925Compare
Hamilton Primary SchoolCouncil1.0 miles420No overall grade 202577Compare
Old Heath Community Primary SchoolCouncil1.0 miles209Report card 202635Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St. George's 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.

Beats43%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 38 is 10 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 2 · middle 47 · highest 98100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 38 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 38% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 23 to 56. 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 atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%below
-0.11
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 90 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 2.8 years old
Progress pupils make20%well above
+0.28
DfE progress measure; 90 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.08
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.18
2024/25; 565 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.07
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 90 pupils
What parents say0%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 St. George's School a good school?

It is about average. St. George's School scores 38 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 43% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 23 to 56, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is St. George's School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated St. George's School good at its last full inspection on 28 November 2023.

How good are St. George's School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 56% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 4% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does St. George's School have?

609 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 630 places, so it is 97% full.

Is St. George's School oversubscribed?

Often. Fewer than one place in twenty was empty in 2024/25, so popular year groups fill up.

What is attendance like at St. George's School?

Pupils were in school 92.1% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 26% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at St. George's School?

The average class had 27.2 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 14% of classes 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
Canterbury Road, Colchester, CO2 7RU
Telephone
01206 506800
Website
www.stgeorgesschool.org
Headteacher
Mr James Newell
Type of school
Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Local authority
Essex
Ward
New Town and Christ Church
Constituency
Colchester
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
114704 · LAESTAB 8812001 · UKPRN 10070648
Formerly
St George's Infant School and Nursery

Where these figures come from