Honywood School, Colchester

In its own words: "Young people at our school can expect the most challenging learning experiences. We expect our learners to become independent, mature and empowered, able to make excellent decisions about the lives they lead whilst at our school, as well as learning how to be happy and successful in the lives they will lead on leaving us."

From the headteacher's welcome: "It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to Honywood School. A school where, through deep and purposeful relationships, we aim to connect with all our communities and build equity and well-being. I am sure you are well aware of the inequities in society where, through having advantages in life, success is often a given."

In 2026, pupils at Honywood School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.5 in Essex and 47 across England.

37% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 45% in Essex and 47% in England.

That is down from 46.3 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.33: pupils made below 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 37.6, against 47.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 9.8 points.

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

For September 2026 entry, 192 families put Honywood School as their first choice and 565 named it as one of their preferences, for 179 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 27 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Honywood School are Lift New Rickstones (4.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.5); Thurstable School (4.7 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 46.5); and The Ramsey Academy, Halstead (5.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46.5).

Honywood School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.

Honywood School is one of 9 schools run by Saffron Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 51 in 2024/25.

Of the 165 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 86% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 40% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

0.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 185 pupils (21.8%) received SEN support and 68 (8%) 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 autism.

Honywood School provides for pupils with autism.

The nearest railway station is Kelvedon Rail Station, about 2.6 miles away in a straight line.

13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Honywood Ave (s-bound), 30 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Honywood School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 9 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, Honywood School issued 71 suspensions, 8.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.