King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford, Chelmsford

Ofsted's report card from its 10 February 2026 inspection grades King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford on 7 areas: 2 exceptional and 5 strong standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Exceptional. "Pupils make excellent progress throughout their time at this school."

Post 16 provision - Exceptional. "Students experience an incredibly rich, vibrant and well-thought-out sixth-form experience."

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Pupils want to come to school regularly and the majority of them do so."

Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Leaders carefully shape the curriculum so that it closely aligns with pupils' abilities, interests and aspirations."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Pupils receive highly personalised care and support in the school's welcoming and vibrant community."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders, including trustees, have a thorough understanding of the strengths and priorities in the school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Pupils strive to achieve the school's vision that they will become principled global citizens."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders and trustees should continue to build on their strengths in areas, such as inclusion and personal development and wellbeing, and sustain the exceptionally high-quality provision in achievement and post-16 provision".

In its own words: "Our overarching mission is for all KEGS students to be nurtured as uniquely talented individuals, finding fulfilment through their love of learning and the exploration of the furthest reaches of their intellectual, creative, physical and emotional capabilities."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to KEGS. It is a real privilege to lead this outstanding school, with a rich history dating back to 1551, and roots even earlier. KEGS is proud to be one of England’s top state grammar schools, known not only for consistently excellent examination results, but also for its welcoming, inclusive community."

Coming up: an open evening on Wednesday 18 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford averaged an Attainment 8 score of 83, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.5 in Essex and 47 across England.

99% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 45% in Essex and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 83.3.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 1.11: pupils made well above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Physics and Chemistry.

King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford is a grammar school: places go to children who reach the required standard in its entrance test, and only then are the oversubscription criteria applied.

For September 2026 entry, 412 families put King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford as their first choice and 740 named it as one of their preferences, for 149 places offered. That is 2.8 first choices for every place. 269 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford admits pupils through an entrance test - in Essex, the CSSE (Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex) test. Children have to be registered for it in advance, normally in the spring or summer of Year 5; the test itself is usually sat in September of Year 6, and results come out in October, before the 31 October deadline for naming secondary schools.

Passing the test makes a child eligible rather than guaranteeing a place: when more children pass than there are places, King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford ranks them by the criteria in its admissions policy, which can include test score and distance. Check Essex's admissions pages and the school's own policy for this year's registration deadline - a child who is not registered in time cannot sit the test.

Essex has 4 state grammar schools in all, so a child who passes may have several selective schools to choose between.

The nearest other state secondary schools to King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford are Chelmsford County High School for Girls (0.3 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 81.4); St John Payne Catholic School, Chelmsford (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.7); The Boswells School (1.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.1); and Hylands School (1.3 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 40.3).

King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

186 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford (as of April 2026): 97% would recommend the school, 97% say their child is happy there and 83% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (98%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (83%).

Of the 150 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 99% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 1% to a further education college.

Of the 196 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 85% went on to university or other higher education, 4% to apprenticeships and 4% into work. 75% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

2.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 10.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Asian (50%), White British (26%) and Black (7%).

In 2026, 32 pupils (2.8%) received SEN support and 11 (1%) 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.

King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford had 89 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest railway station is Chelmsford Rail Station, about 460 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).

12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is King Edward VI School (outside), 140 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 639 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Essex (97), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford issued 6 suspensions, 0.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford are Maltese Road Primary School (under 0.1 miles); Kings Road Primary School (0.4 miles); The Cathedral Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chelmsford (0.6 miles); and St Pius X Catholic Primary School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.