Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery, Colchester
Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Colchester. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 28th-highest of the 66 schools in Colchester with published results, and 6,110th of 14,452 across England. It was 88% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Essex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery in detail
Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery in its own words
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include choir and eco club.
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 81% of Year 6 pupils at Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery reached the expected standard in reading and 78% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 76% in Essex and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 87% in reading and 84% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery
For September 2026 entry, 76 families put Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery as their first choice and 91 named it as one of their preferences, for 75 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery are St Osyth Church of England Primary School (2.7 miles, Good, 74% reading, 60% maths); Alresford Primary School (2.8 miles, Good, 77% reading, 60% maths); Great Bentley Primary School (3.3 miles, 82% reading, 71% maths); and Millfields Primary School (3.9 miles, Outstanding, 84% reading, 78% maths).
Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
St Osyth Church of England Primary SchoolAlresford Primary SchoolGreat Bentley Primary SchoolMillfields Primary School
Who goes there
5.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 101 pupils (15.5%) received SEN support and 10 (1.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Alresford (Essex) Rail Station, about 3.1 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lower Park Road (sw-bound), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 41 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Essex (97).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery issued 10 suspensions, 1.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its February 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Early years.
At a Glance
18.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 87% to 81% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 84% to 78% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 79% to 75% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.1
Avg class size
28.3
Infant (KS1)
28.0
KS2
14
Total classes
4 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery
Getting There
Ferry Terminals
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery is in Essex; for families living there:
- Essex's school travel policy: Education Transport Policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 11
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 6 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on a bicycle.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Essex is 9 (the median across 614 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery
Will you get a place at Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Essex, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Essex got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
88%
Available places
555 pupils
630 places
75 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Colchester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Colchester
Across Essex council
Places available
17,932
Applications
15,737
Got 1st preference
90.3%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All primary applications across Essex council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
101
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
17.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
653
Total Pupils
321
Boys
332
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
29
Teachers
22.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,735
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,065
Per pupil
£3144k
Total funding
£174k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.8%
Overall absence
14.2%
Persistent absence
501
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery
Questions parents ask about Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery
What are SATs results like at Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery?
Of the pupils at Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 81% reached the expected standard in reading and 78% did so in maths.
What is Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery's Ofsted rating?
Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2020 it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery?
No fixed boundary. When Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery is oversubscribed, Essex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery?
Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery was not full in 2025: it ran at 88% of its 630 places.
How big are the classes at Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery?
Classes at Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery average 29.1 pupils (2025/26). 4 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery?
Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery has around 653 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery?
5.8% of sessions were missed at Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery in 2024/25. 14.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery?
Apply through Essex's coordinated admissions process, naming Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 6 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on a bicycle. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Essex is 9 (the median across 614 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery?
Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery is at Eastern Road, Brightlingsea, Colchester, Essex, CO7 0HU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)