The Beaulieu Park School
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The Beaulieu Park School is a free school in Chelmsford for boys and girls aged 4 to 19. It has 1,763 pupils and room for 2,020. About 11 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 88 out of 100. That puts it well above schools like it, ahead of 92% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was outstanding, back in 2023.
Armistice Avenue, Chelmsford, CM1 6DT01245 943400beaulieuparkschool.comMr James Donaldson headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 18 January 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Outstanding overall.
Results
GCSE results, summer 2025
179 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.
All GCSE measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of Year 11 | 179 | 179 | 0 | – | – |
| Average GCSE scoreAttainment 8 | 57.1 | 58.2 | – | 46.0 | 46.8 |
| Progress from age 11Progress 8 | – | +0.84 | – | – | – |
| Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths | 63% | 66% | – | 44% | 46% |
| Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths | 82% | 88% | – | 65% | 66% |
| Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score | 5.46 | 5.62 | – | 4.06 | 4.15 |
| Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry | 91% | 94% | – | 39% | 41% |
| Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged | 47.9 | 48.1 | – | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged | 58.5 | 59.5 | – | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers | – | 37.5 | – | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers | – | 73.4 | – | – | – |
Subjects
Results came out for 19 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.
Strongest subjects
The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.
Every subject against England, 2025
| Subject | Entries | Grades 9 to 7 | Grades 9 to 5 | Grades 9 to 4 | England 9 to 5 | Rank in England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 178 | 37% | 67% | 85% | 53% | 526 of 3,211 |
| English Language | 178 | 33% | 72% | 88% | 54% | 400 of 3,210 |
| English Literature | 177 | 36% | 79% | 90% | 58% | 328 of 3,202 |
| Spanish | 137 | 24% | 61% | 74% | 54% | 772 of 1,941 |
| Geography | 127 | 32% | 60% | 72% | 51% | 836 of 3,116 |
| Combined Science | 121 | 17% | 50% | 76% | 36% | 548 of 3,084 |
| History | 83 | 46% | 71% | 81% | 52% | 451 of 3,126 |
| Media / Film / TV | 82 | 40% | 82% | 98% | 55% | 44 of 580 |
| Physics | 56 | 61% | 96% | 100% | 82% | 661 of 2,546 |
| Chemistry | 56 | 50% | 93% | 100% | 81% | 932 of 2,537 |
| Biology | 56 | 57% | 91% | 100% | 82% | 1,042 of 2,570 |
| Computer Science | 52 | 50% | 79% | 90% | 56% | 317 of 1,861 |
| Art and Design | 39 | 23% | 69% | 90% | 58% | 896 of 2,818 |
| Physical Education | 37 | 27% | 68% | 81% | 56% | 500 of 1,559 |
| Statistics | 35 | 94% | 100% | 100% | 51% | 7 of 375 |
| German | 29 | 62% | 79% | 97% | 63% | 160 of 571 |
| Drama | 25 | 56% | 84% | 92% | 60% | 156 of 844 |
| Religious Studies | 12 | 8% | 58% | 83% | 60% | – |
| Dance | 10 | 30% | 50% | 80% | 58% | – |
In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
60 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 60 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 78% | 64% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 13% | 10% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 109.0 | 105.9 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 108.0 | 104.8 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 109.0 | 105.3 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 93% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 87% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 83% | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 44% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 84% | – | – |
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 7 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 GCSE, 2025
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.
424 places were empty (21% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have grown by 100% since 2021/22.
Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Essex council's admissions booklet, send it to us.
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 30.0 pupils (England 26.2); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 30.4 (England 28.2).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (50), emotional and mental health (47), Specific learning difficulty (44), language and communications needs (39), Moderate learning difficulty (37), Other difficulty or disability (16).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 1,763 | 1,609 | 1,415 | 1,112 | 809 | 542 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 11% | 11% | 12% | 11% | 9% | 10% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 13% | 13% | 11% | 10% | 7% | 8% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 10% | 11% | 10% | 10% | 11% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 2% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.0% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 7.0% | 6.8% | 6.7% | 6.6% | 3.1% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 5.2% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.7% | 2.7% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.7% | 0.9% | 0.4% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 16.4% | 17.3% | 16.7% | 17.2% | 6.6% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 6.0 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 3.2 | 1.1 | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary 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 secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield Primary School | Council | 770 m | 409 | Report card 2026 | 34 | Compare |
| The Bishops' Church of England and Roman Catholic Primary School | Church of England/Roman Catholic | 980 m | 437 | Good 2023 | 88 | Compare |
| New Hall School | Independent | 0.6 miles | 1,364 | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| The Boswells School | Academy | 0.8 miles | 1,423 | Good 2023 | 49 | Compare |
| Perryfields Infant School | Academy | 0.9 miles | 180 | Good 2022 | 83 | Compare |
| Perryfields Junior School | Academy | 0.9 miles | 301 | Outstanding 2024 | 100 | Compare |
| The Tyrrells School | Academy | 1.0 miles | 420 | Good 2019 | 88 | Compare |
| Broomfield Primary School | Foundation | 1.2 miles | 417 | Good 2023 | 52 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares The Beaulieu Park School with the 50 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 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
No school with a similar mix of pupils within 25 km scores clearly higher.
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 88 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 88% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 84 to 92. 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 | 20% | well above | +0.23 | 2025 and 2024 results; 179 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 18% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old) | well above | +0.33 | Ofsted grade, 3.7 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | well above | +0.32 | DfE progress measure; 179 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | well below | -0.21 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | above | +0.08 | 2024/25; 1,431 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | well above | +0.12 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 179 pupils |
| What pupils do next | 0% | no data | – | |
| 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 The Beaulieu Park School a good school?
Yes, going by the figures. The Beaulieu Park School scores 88 out of 100. That is well above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 92% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 84 to 92, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.
What is The Beaulieu Park School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated The Beaulieu Park School outstanding at its last full inspection on 18 January 2023.
How good are The Beaulieu Park School's GCSE results?
In summer 2025, 63% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 57.1, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished most of a grade ahead of children across England who started secondary school at the same level.
How good are The Beaulieu Park School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 78% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 13% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does The Beaulieu Park School have?
1,763 pupils aged 4 to 19 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 2,020 places, so it is 87% full.
Is The Beaulieu Park School oversubscribed?
Probably not. 424 places were empty in 2024/25 (21% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at The Beaulieu Park School?
Pupils were in school 93.0% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 16% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at The Beaulieu Park School?
The average class had 26.1 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 26% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
Does The Beaulieu Park School have a sixth form?
Yes.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Armistice Avenue, Chelmsford, CM1 6DT
- Telephone
- 01245 943400
- Website
- www.beaulieuparkschool.com
- Headteacher
- Mr James Donaldson
- Type of school
- Free school (Free schools, free schools)
- Phase
- All-through school, ages 4-19, with sixth form
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- None
- Multi-academy trust
- The Chelmsford Learning Partnership (11 schools)
- Local authority
- Essex
- Ward
- Springfield North
- Constituency
- Chelmsford
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 September 2018
- URN
- 145916 · LAESTAB 8814029 · UKPRN 10068108
Recent changes
- New KS4 results for 2024/25
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.
- GCSE results: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25 final.
- 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, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- 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.