Lexden Springs School, Colchester
Lexden Springs School is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 19 in Colchester, part of Hope Learning Community.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Lexden Springs School in detail
Lexden Springs School in its own words
In its own words: "Welcome to Lexden Springs School. ☀️ We are a vibrant and nurturing Special Needs School for pupils aged 3-19, all of whom have Severe Learning Needs. Located in West Colchester, we are proud to be a large and supportive community, currently home to 303 wonderful pupils."
Coming up: an open evening on Saturday 28 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
Vision and values (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Lexden Springs School are The Willows (0.5 miles); Doucecroft School (1 mile, Requires improvement); Kingswode Hoe School (1.7 miles, Good); and Langham Oaks (6.1 miles, Requires improvement).
The WillowsDoucecroft SchoolKingswode Hoe SchoolLangham Oaks
The trust
Lexden Springs School is one of 4 schools run by Hope Learning Community, an academy trust.
Who goes there
63.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 11% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (69%), Black (9%) and Asian (7%).
Almost every pupil at Lexden Springs School has an education, health and care plan (301 of 301 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
Lexden Springs School has a resourced provision for severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 245 places, 308 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Colchester Rail Station, about 2.5 miles away in a straight line.
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Secondary School (opposite), 90 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 147 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Essex (97), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Lexden Springs School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Lexden Springs School has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in January 2025. Before that, as Lexden Springs School (URN 115475), it was rated Inadequate in January 2024.
At a Glance
63.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: SLD, PMLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 4 nearby schools
Keep up with Lexden Springs School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Lexden Springs School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Lexden Springs 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
- 13
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 10 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
104%
Over capacity
301 pupils
290 places
11 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Colchester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Colchester
Across Essex council
Places available
17,590
Applications
16,568
Got 1st preference
83.4%
Got preferred school
97.0%
All secondary applications across Essex council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
301
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Lexden Springs School has a resourced provision for severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 245 places, 308 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
301
Total Pupils
199
Boys
102
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
40
Teachers
7.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,315
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.6%
Overall absence
28.6%
Persistent absence
252
Enrolments
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Lexden Springs School
Showing 10 of 12 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Lexden Springs School
What is Lexden Springs School's Ofsted rating?
Lexden Springs School has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in January 2025. Before that, as Lexden Springs School (URN 115475), it was rated Inadequate in January 2024.
What is the catchment area for Lexden Springs School?
No fixed boundary. When Lexden Springs School is oversubscribed, Essex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Lexden Springs School?
Lexden Springs School has around 301 pupils on roll. 63% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Lexden Springs School have specialist SEN provision?
Lexden Springs School has a resourced provision for severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 245 places, 308 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Lexden Springs School?
8.6% of sessions were missed at Lexden Springs School in 2024/25. 28.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Lexden Springs School?
Apply through Essex's coordinated admissions process, naming Lexden Springs School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Lexden Springs School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 10 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 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 Lexden Springs School?
Lexden Springs School is at Winstree Road, Colchester, Essex, CO3 0PZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)