Chelmer Valley High School, Chelmsford

From the headteacher's welcome: "It is my honour to be the Headteacher at Chelmer Valley High School. Our children deserve the very best education and we strive together to ensure that every child can be successful, happy and safe in our school community."

Coming up: an open day on Tuesday 24 November 2026, an open day on Thursday 3 December 2026, an open day on Monday 7 December 2026 and an open day on Tuesday 8 December 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Chelmer Valley High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.5 in Essex and 47 across England.

50% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 45% in Essex and 47% in England.

That is up from 45.3 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.25: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 39.6, against 49.7 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Business Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 196 families put Chelmer Valley High School as their first choice and 798 named it as one of their preferences, for 231 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 27 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Chelmer Valley High School are St John Payne Catholic School, Chelmsford (1.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.7); The Beaulieu Park School (1.5 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 59.3); The Boswells School (1.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.1); and Chelmsford County High School for Girls (1.9 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 81.4).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Chelmer Valley High School.

Of the 190 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 87% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 44% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 87 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 56% went on to university or other higher education, 9% to apprenticeships and 23% into work. 15% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

5.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 173 pupils (14.4%) received SEN support and 32 (2.7%) 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 a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

The nearest railway station is Beaulieu Park, about 2.4 miles away in a straight line.

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hospital (stand 4), 220 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 61 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).

In 2024/25, Chelmer Valley High School issued 97 suspensions, 8.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Chelmer Valley High School are Broomfield Primary School (0.6 miles), Little Waltham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (1.4 miles), Newlands Spring Primary and Nursery School (1.5 miles) and Great Waltham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School (1.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.