Catholic Schools / Essex
Catholic Schools in Essex
Find 67 Catholic schools in Essex. Compare Ofsted ratings, Section 48 results, faith admissions criteria and catchment areas.
67 catholic schools in Essex
All Saints Catholic School and Technology College
Dagenham · Secondary · Mixed
St Peter's Catholic Primary School
Billericay · Primary · Mixed
St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, Colchester
Colchester · Primary · Mixed
Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School
Brentwood · Secondary · Girls
Holy Family Catholic Primary School
Benfleet · Primary · Mixed
Holy Family Catholic Primary School
Witham · Primary · Mixed
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School
Leigh-on-Sea · Primary · Mixed
St Aidan's Catholic Primary Academy
Ilford · Primary · Mixed
St Francis Catholic Primary School, Braintree
Braintree · Primary · Mixed
St George's Catholic Primary School
Southend-on-Sea · Primary · Mixed
St Helen's Catholic Infant & Nursery School
Brentwood · Primary · Mixed
St Helen's Catholic Primary School
Westcliff-on-Sea · Primary · Mixed
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
Upminster · Primary · Mixed
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School and Nursery
Canvey Island · Primary · Mixed
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, SWF
Chelmsford · Primary · Mixed
St Luke's Catholic Academy
Harlow · Primary · Mixed
St Mark's West Essex Catholic School
Harlow · Secondary · Mixed
St Mary's Catholic Primary School
Tilbury · Primary · Mixed
St Peter's Catholic Primary School
Dagenham · Primary · Mixed
St Peter's Catholic Primary School
Romford · Primary · Mixed
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School
Rochford · Primary · Mixed
St Ursula's Catholic Primary School
Romford · Primary · Mixed
Trinity Catholic High School
Woodford Green · Secondary · Mixed
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
Stanford-le-Hope · Primary · Mixed
De La Salle School
Basildon · Secondary · Mixed
Grays Convent High School
Grays · Secondary · Girls
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School
South Ockendon · Primary · Mixed
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Harlow
Harlow · Primary · Mixed
La Salette Catholic Primary School
Rainham · Primary · Mixed
New Hall School
Chelmsford · All-through · Mixed
Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School
Chelmsford · Primary · Mixed
Our Lady of Ransom Catholic Primary School
Rayleigh · Primary · Mixed
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School
Southend-on-Sea · Primary · Mixed
Sacred Heart of Mary Girls' School
Upminster · Secondary · Girls
SS Peter and Paul's Catholic Primary School
Ilford · Primary · Mixed
St Alban's Catholic Academy
Harlow · Primary · Mixed
St Alban's Catholic Primary School
Hornchurch · Primary · Mixed
St Anne Line Catholic Infant School
Basildon · Primary · Mixed
St Anne Line Catholic Junior School
Basildon · Primary · Mixed
St Antony's Catholic Primary School
Woodford Green · Primary · Mixed
St Augustine's Catholic Primary School
Ilford · Primary · Mixed
St Bede's Catholic Primary School
Romford · Primary · Mixed
St Benedict's Catholic College
Colchester · Secondary · Mixed
St Bernard's High School
Westcliff-on-Sea · Secondary · Girls
St Clare's Catholic Primary School
Clacton-on-Sea · Primary · Mixed
St Francis Catholic Primary School, Maldon
Maldon · Primary · Mixed
St Helen's Catholic Junior School
Brentwood · Primary · Mixed
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School
Loughton · Primary · Mixed
St John Payne Catholic School, Chelmsford
Chelmsford · Secondary · Mixed
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
Dagenham · Primary · Mixed
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
Barking · Primary · Mixed
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
Dovercourt · Primary · Mixed
St Joseph the Worker Catholic Primary School
Hutton · Primary · Mixed
St Mary's Catholic Primary School
Hornchurch · Primary · Mixed
St Patrick's Catholic Primary School
Romford · Primary · Mixed
St Pius X Catholic Primary School
Chelmsford · Primary · Mixed
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Basildon
Basildon · Primary · Mixed
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester
Colchester · Primary · Mixed
St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden · Primary · Mixed
St Thomas More High School
Westcliff-on-Sea · Secondary · Boys
St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School
Grays · Primary · Mixed
St Vincent's Catholic Primary School
Dagenham · Primary · Mixed
The Bishops' Church of England and Roman Catholic Primary School
Chelmsford · Primary · Mixed
The Campion School
Hornchurch · Secondary · Boys
The Palmer Catholic Academy
Ilford · Secondary · Mixed
The St Teresa Catholic Primary School
Dagenham · Primary · Mixed
The Ursuline Academy Ilford
Ilford · Secondary · Girls
About Catholic schools in Essex
Catholic schools in Essex are faith schools maintained by the local diocese and funded by the state as voluntary aided or academy schools, meaning they are free to attend. Most give priority to baptised Catholic children when places are oversubscribed, applying faith-based criteria - such as a baptism certificate, evidence of regular Mass attendance, and sometimes a parish priest's reference - before distance or sibling rules come into play. Admissions requirements vary school by school, so it is important to read each school's published policy and any supplementary information form carefully. Some Catholic schools in Essex are not heavily oversubscribed and may admit children of other faiths or no faith without requiring faith evidence at all.
Catholic schools in Essex cover primary and secondary phases, with some offering sixth-form provision. As well as the standard Ofsted inspection, each school is subject to a Section 48 (denominational) inspection commissioned by the diocese, which assesses the Catholic ethos, religious education and collective worship - worth reading alongside the Ofsted report. Many parents also weigh pastoral care, the school's links to the local parish and community feel, not just academic results. Ofsted ratings and progress data are a useful starting point, but visiting the school and attending an open day will give you the most rounded picture before you apply.
Choosing a school in Essex
Whether or not Essex has schools of a particular type, the same fundamentals help you compare your options. Ofsted judgements - Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement or Inadequate - summarise the quality of education, behaviour, personal development and leadership. A rating is a useful starting point, but bear in mind that some schools have not been inspected for several years and that a single word cannot capture everything about a school.
For secondary schools, Progress 8 is often more revealing than raw results. It measures how much pupils improve between the end of primary school and their GCSEs, so a school serving a less advantaged community can still post strong progress. Attainment 8 shows average achievement across eight GCSEs, and the percentage of pupils reaching grade 5 or above in English and maths is a useful benchmark. For 16-18 study, look at A-Level and applied-course results and where students go next.
Beyond the data, look at how places are allocated when a school is oversubscribed and whether your address is likely to secure one, the range of subjects and activities on offer, the sixth-form provision if you are planning ahead, and travel and transport. Above all, visit. An open day tells you more about a school's atmosphere, pastoral care and whether it will suit your child than any league table can.
Frequently asked questions
How many catholic schools are there in Essex?
There are 67 catholic schools in Essex listed on School Signal, of which 23 are rated Outstanding or Good by Ofsted.
Which Catholic school in Essex has the best Ofsted rating?
All Saints Catholic School and Technology College is among the highest rated catholic schools in Essex, judged Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection.
Do you have to be Catholic to get into a Catholic school in Essex?
Not always. When a Catholic school in Essex is oversubscribed, it will usually prioritise baptised Catholic children and apply faith criteria - such as a baptism certificate and evidence of regular Mass attendance - before admitting children of other faiths or none. Schools that are not oversubscribed may admit non-Catholic children without any faith requirement. Always check each school's admissions policy and supplementary information form, as the criteria vary between schools and dioceses.