Brinkley Grove Primary School, Colchester
Brinkley Grove Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Colchester. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 15th-highest of the 66 schools in Colchester with published results, and 3,012th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 102% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
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
Brinkley Grove Primary School in detail
Brinkley Grove Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "We are a vibrant, welcoming, ambitious and thriving school in North Colchester. With 420 pupils on roll, we may be large in size, but we are proud of our strong family atmosphere where every child is known, valued, and supported. We are proud of the rich cultural diversity within our community and celebrate each child for who they are."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 85% of Year 6 pupils at Brinkley Grove Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 87% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 76% in Essex and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (93% in reading, 78% in maths).
Getting a place at Brinkley Grove Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 40 families put Brinkley Grove Primary School as their first choice and 96 named it as one of their preferences, for 41 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Brinkley Grove Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Brinkley Grove Primary School are Highwoods Community Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 86% reading, 86% maths); St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester (0.6 miles, Good, 88% reading, 78% maths); Camulos Academy (0.8 miles, Good, 88% reading, 87% maths); and Friars Grove Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 71% reading, 71% maths).
Brinkley Grove Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Highwoods Community Primary SchoolSt John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, ColchesterCamulos AcademyFriars Grove Primary School
What parents say
71 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Brinkley Grove Primary School (as of September 2025): 94% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 75% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (97%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (75%).
Who goes there
33.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (52%), Black (16%) and Asian (13%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Colchester Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Gilberd School (outside), 70 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 162 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Essex (97), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Brinkley Grove Primary School issued 31 suspensions, 7.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Brinkley Grove Primary School are The Gilberd School (under 0.1 miles), The Trinity School (under 0.1 miles) and Colchester Academy (1.7 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; 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
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from May 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Some aspects are not as strong as at the last graded inspection.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils receive a high level of care at Brinkley Grove. Parents and carers are very impressed with how staff go above and beyond to support pupils' well-being. Pupils have many trusted adults to talk to. They benefit from weekly visits from a church minister where they can share their feelings.
Many pupils behave very well. Older pupils display excellent levels of focus on their work. They are proud to meet adults' high expectations of what they should achieve. Likewise, in Reception, children are developing important knowledge and learning habits. They are proud to share their emerging writing skills. However, in some other years, adults' expectations of how pupils should behave, and what they should achieve, are not as ambitious as in other areas.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The curriculum is well designed to build on pupils' prior learning. Curriculum guidance clearly sets out what pupils need to learn. Many teachers are skilled at knowing how pupils learn best. They explain the learning clearly, skilfully questioning pupils to check that everyone has understood them. If there are any misunderstandings, these are quickly addressed. Teachers give pupils time to practise their learning. They provide targeted support to individuals, including those with SEND. This ensures that everyone keeps up. There is a strong focus on developing secure reading habits, particularly in the older years. Older pupils speak enthusiastically about their love of reading. By the end of Year 6, many pupils achieve very highly and are well prepared for their secondary school.
The school's context has changed considerably since the previous inspection. They now support significantly more pupils with SEND. This has resulted in an increase in staff training needs. The school is taking appropriate action to provide staff with the skills and support they need. However, they recognise there is more to do to ensure all pupils are appropriately supported to achieve highly.
From Ofsted's October 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its May 2019 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
24.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
71 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 93% to 85% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 78% to 87% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 87% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.1
Avg class size
26.5
Infant (KS1)
30.4
KS2
12
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 Brinkley Grove Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Brinkley Grove Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Brinkley Grove Primary School 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
- 15
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 12 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on a bicycle.
3 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 Brinkley Grove Primary School
Will you get a place at Brinkley Grove Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Brinkley Grove Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Brinkley Grove Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Brinkley Grove Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Essex, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Brinkley Grove Primary School 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
102%
Over capacity
428 pupils
419 places
9 pupils over capacity 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: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(8)
Ungraded inspection: Some aspects are not as strong as at the last graded inspection.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
71
SEN Support
13
EHC Plans
20.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
403
Total Pupils
208
Boys
195
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
22
Teachers
18.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,511
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,110
Per pupil
£2469k
Total funding
£165k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.6%
Overall absence
15.6%
Persistent absence
384
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
Brinkley Grove Primary School
Questions parents ask about Brinkley Grove Primary School
What are SATs results like at Brinkley Grove Primary School?
Of the pupils at Brinkley Grove Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 85% reached the expected standard in reading and 87% did so in maths.
What is Brinkley Grove Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Brinkley Grove Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Brinkley Grove Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Brinkley Grove Primary School is oversubscribed, Essex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Brinkley Grove Primary School?
Brinkley Grove Primary School was full in 2025, at 102% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Brinkley Grove Primary School?
Classes at Brinkley Grove Primary School 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 Brinkley Grove Primary School?
Brinkley Grove Primary School has around 403 pupils on roll. 25% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Brinkley Grove Primary School?
6.6% of sessions were missed at Brinkley Grove Primary School in 2024/25. 15.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Brinkley Grove Primary School?
Apply through Essex's coordinated admissions process, naming Brinkley Grove Primary School 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 Brinkley Grove Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 12 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on a bicycle. 3 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 Brinkley Grove Primary School?
Brinkley Grove Primary School is at Rawlings Crescent, Highwoods, Colchester, Essex, CO4 9GF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)