Lakelands Primary School, Colchester
Lakelands Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Colchester, part of The Chelmsford Learning Partnership. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2023. It was 65% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Essex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Lakelands Primary School in detail
Lakelands Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Lakelands Primary School, a vibrant and nurturing educational community in Stanway, Colchester, established in September 2020. At Lakelands, our pupils are more than just students; they are ambassadors who embody the values of happiness, encouragement, respect, nurturing, and challenge. They are the young leaders who shape our school and pave the way for future generations."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, multi-sports, dance, choir, chess, art and photography.
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 4 November 2026, an open day on Wednesday 11 November 2026, an open day on Wednesday 18 November 2026 and an open day on Wednesday 25 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Lakelands Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 43 families put Lakelands Primary School as their first choice and 123 named it as one of their preferences, for 48 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 Lakelands Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Lakelands Primary School are Stanway Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 75% reading, 74% maths); Stanway Fiveways Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 77% reading, 73% maths); St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester (0.9 miles, Outstanding, 94% reading, 81% maths); and Lexden Primary School with Unit for Hearing Impaired Pupils (0.9 miles, Good, 80% reading, 77% maths).
Stanway Primary SchoolStanway Fiveways Primary SchoolSt Teresa's Catholic Primary School, ColchesterLexden Primary School with Unit for Hearing Impaired Pupils
The trust
Lakelands Primary School is one of 11 schools run by The Chelmsford Learning Partnership, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
In 2026, 30 pupils (8.8%) received SEN support and 10 (2.9%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Marks Tey Rail Station, about 2.1 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Church Ln (w-bound), 170 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Lakelands Primary School issued 9 suspensions, 3.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); 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 · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its May 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
Rated Good for
Behaviour & attitudes.
At a Glance
17.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
28.3
Avg class size
29.2
Infant (KS1)
27.2
KS2
11
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Lakelands Primary School
Bikeability Level 1 & 2 - Year 6
14 Sep 2026
Active Essex Key Stage 1 Award WINNERS!
7 Nov 2025
Bawdsey Manor - PGL
5 Nov 2025
Dentists Visit Lakelands
21 Oct 2025
Football tournament
15 Oct 2025
Harvest Festival
1 Oct 2025
From Lakelands Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Lakelands Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Lakelands Primary School.
- Allstar Community Academy LakelandsAt the school · Not yet graded
- Kidz Camp Essex Colchester560m away · Not yet graded
- Stanway Fiveways Holiday Club670m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Lakelands Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Lakelands 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
- 14
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 11 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 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 Lakelands Primary School
Will you get a place at Lakelands Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Lakelands Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Lakelands Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Lakelands 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 Lakelands Primary School for 2021 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
65%
Available places
272 pupils
420 places
148 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: Every first choice offered
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
30
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
11.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
340
Total Pupils
154
Boys
186
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
24.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,735
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,955
Per pupil
£1853k
Total funding
£61k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.0%
Overall absence
15.4%
Persistent absence
227
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
Lakelands Primary School
Questions parents ask about Lakelands Primary School
What is Lakelands Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Lakelands Primary School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2023.
What is the catchment area for Lakelands Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Lakelands 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 Lakelands Primary School?
Lakelands Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 65% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at Lakelands Primary School?
Classes at Lakelands Primary School average 28.3 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Lakelands Primary School?
Lakelands Primary School has around 340 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Lakelands Primary School?
5% of sessions were missed at Lakelands Primary School in 2024/25. 15.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Lakelands Primary School?
Apply through Essex's coordinated admissions process, naming Lakelands 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.
Does Lakelands Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Allstar Community Academy Lakelands (registered, not yet graded). There are 2 more within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Lakelands Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 11 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 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 Lakelands Primary School?
Lakelands Primary School is at Wagtail Mews, Colchester, Essex, CO3 8AJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)