Lift Columbus, Chelmsford
Data last updated 31 Aug 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 7 months agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
The school has created a thoughtfully designed curriculum with four pathways tailored to each pupil's individual learning stage. When staff are properly trained and supported, pupils engage well, enjoy lessons, and benefit from enriching activities. The school maintains good attendance and acts quickly to address bullying and inappropriate language.
Key Strengths
- Pupils are calm and positive with familiar adults and enjoy activities like swimming, yoga, and sensory sessions
- The school has designed an ambitious curriculum across four pathways adapted to pupils' individual needs
- Pupils attend school regularly and staff address bullying and derogatory language quickly
Areas for Improvement
- Staff lack training on specific safeguarding risks, including harmful sexual behaviours and consent - pupils are not adequately protected
- High staff turnover and instability has resulted in inconsistent curriculum delivery and gaps in pupils' learning
- Pupils are not taught complete relationships and sex education, leaving them unprepared for adulthood
- Temporary and agency staff are poorly inducted and lack knowledge of pupils' needs and safeguarding concerns
- The sixth-form curriculum is narrow with low ambition and does not prepare students adequately for adult life
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are not effective - staff lack training on specific risks pupils face, inappropriate behaviours are not always identified as safeguarding concerns, and medication administration errors have occurred, placing pupils at risk of harm.
Extracurricular Activities
Swimming, yoga, music, sensory sessions, outdoor play equipment
Columbus School and College serves pupils with significant special educational needs and medical requirements. The school is experiencing serious decline in provision quality, with inadequate leadership and safeguarding arrangements that place pupils at risk of harm.
At a Glance
32.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty, PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
105 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 0%. Maths has remained stable at around 0%. Writing has remained stable at around 0%.
Class Sizes
0.0
Avg class size
0
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
106%
Over capacity
285 pupils
270 capacity
15 places over capacity
Area Demand Pressure - Chelmsford
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Chelmsford
Admissions Demand - Essex
Places available
17,576
Applications
16,788
Got 1st preference
83.8%
Got preferred school
97.1%
Secondary admissions across Essex (2025/26)
Inspection History(6)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.83523%
Overall absence
29.83871%
Persistent absence
248
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Reviews
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Lift Columbus
St Pius X Catholic Primary School
Parkwood Academy
Kings Road Primary School
Newlands Spring Primary and Nursery School
Broomfield Primary School
Maltese Road Primary School
Lawford Mead Primary & Nursery
Perryfields Infant School
Perryfields Junior School
Westlands Community Primary School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Nearby Schools
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