Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery
Ofsted: GoodCommunity school · Primary
Colchester · CO7 0HU · Essex
Ages 2–11
- KS272%
- Absence5.2%
- FSM21.3%
- Demand0.92
0.6 miles away
OpenSecondaryOfsted: GoodURN 146795
Colne Community School
Academy converter · Colchester · CO7 0QL
Ages 11–16 · 1,289 pupils · Essex
Ofsted
Good
Attainment 8
45.5
Overall absence
8.5%
Admissions demand
0.96 · Balanced demand
Ofsted
Latest published inspection outcomes — not a ranking.
Headline
Good
Inspection date
2023-06-27
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding effective
- Yes
Performance
Official school-level results. Figures are not rankings — suppressed values are omitted.
Key stage 4 (2023/24)
Progress 8-0.08
−20+2
Attainment 845.5
English & maths grade 5+44%
English & maths grade 4+68%
EBacc entry47%
EBacc APS: 3.9
Absence
Academic year 2023/24. Persistent absence means 10%+ of sessions missed. Lower figures are better.
Overall absence8.5%
Persistent absence (10%+)24.0%
Unauthorised3.8%
- Authorised absence
- 4.7%
- Severe absence (50%+)
- 2.8%
- Enrolments in measure
- 1,295
Absence trend
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
- Overall
- Persistent (10%+)
Admissions demand
Coordinated admissions for secondary entry (2024/25 cycle, national offer day). Demand ratio compares families who listed this school 1st with total offers made — not a catchment or distance guarantee.
Demand ratio
0.96 · Balanced demand
1st preferences
268
Places offered
280
1st-preference offers
264
- Total preferences (any rank)
- 354
- Preferred offers (top 3)
- 280
- Applications from outside LA
- 1
- Offers to outside-LA applicants
- 0
Source: DfE primary and secondary school applications and offers. Figures reflect offers on national offer day; late applications, appeals and waiting lists are not included.
Size & intake
From the GIAS school census (15 Jan 2026).
Capacity fill84%
1,289 pupils · 1,540 places
- Pupils on roll
- 1,289
- Boys / girls
- 667 / 622
- School capacity
- 1,540
- Capacity fill
- 1,289 / 1,540 (84%)
- Free school meals
- 21.7%
- FSM pupils
- 280
- Gender
- Mixed
- School type
- Academy converter
Age range
Ages 11–16
05111619
Provision
Official GIAS characteristics
1 / 6
- Nursery
- Sixth form
- Boarding
- Special school
- Independent
- Academy
School characteristics
- Governance
- Academy trust: THE SIGMA TRUST
- Academy trust
- THE SIGMA TRUST
- Sponsor
- The Sigma Trust
- Headteacher
- Mr Neil Gallagher
Location
- Address
- Church Road, Brightlingsea
- Postcode
- CO7 0QL
- Town
- Colchester
- County
- Essex
- Local authority
- Essex
- District
- Tendring
- Constituency
- Harwich and North Essex
- Urban/rural
- Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city
Local context
How this school sits among open establishments in its area, using official GIAS records. These are counts, not rankings.
Mixed academy converter (secondary), Ages 11–16, in Colchester, Essex, 1,289 pupils on roll. Notable characteristics: academy. Free school meals: 21.7%.
Nearby secondary schools
Open schools within about 3 miles, prioritising the same phase where possible. Distances are approximate from GIAS coordinates.
Alresford Primary School
Ofsted: School remains GoodCommunity school · Primary
Colchester · CO7 8AU · Essex
Ages 4–11
- KS263%
- Absence5.0%
- FSM16.2%
- Demand1.70
2.3 miles away
Great Bentley Primary School
Ofsted: School remains OutstandingAcademy converter · Primary
Colchester · CO7 8LD · Essex
Ages 5–11
- KS267%
- Absence4.8%
- FSM17.1%
- Demand0.86
2.8 miles away
St Osyth Church of England Primary School
Ofsted: GoodAcademy sponsor led · Primary
Clacton-on-Sea · CO16 8PN · Essex
Ages 5–11
- KS256%
- Absence7.1%
- FSM39.7%
- Demand0.98
3.0 miles away
New to reading school data? See Ofsted ratings explained and how to compare schools.
Contact
- Headteacher
- Mr Neil Gallagher
- Telephone
- 01206303511