St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester, COLCHESTER
St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Colchester. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2022 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 20th-highest of the 66 schools in COLCHESTER with published results, and 4,333rd of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Essex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester in detail
St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester in its own words
In its own words: "For full look at our Vision and Ethos Statement please click the links below. " Teach children how they should live, and they will remember it all their life." (Proverbs 22:6) At St John's Church of England Primary School, we believe every child is uniquely created by God and has the potential to flourish."
From the headteacher's welcome: "All staff work extremely hard to deliver on our vision and values and we are proud to be a church school that works very closely with our local church."
Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 11 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 88% of Year 6 pupils at St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester reached the expected standard in reading and 78% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 76% in Essex and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 93% in reading and 87% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester
For September 2026 entry, 31 families put St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester as their first choice and 99 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 2 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester are Highwoods Community Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 86% reading, 86% maths); Friars Grove Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 71% reading, 71% maths); Brinkley Grove Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 85% reading, 87% maths); and Parsons Heath Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 66% reading, 59% maths).
St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Highwoods Community Primary SchoolFriars Grove Primary SchoolBrinkley Grove Primary SchoolParsons Heath Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Who goes there
6.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 12.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (73%), Black (7%) and Mixed (6%).
In 2026, 18 pupils (8.6%) received SEN support and 7 (3.3%) 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 Colchester Rail Station, about 1.6 miles away in a straight line.
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Arden Close (opposite), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester issued 3 suspensions, 1.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester are The Gilberd School (0.6 miles), The Trinity School (0.6 miles) and Colchester Academy (1.2 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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
Ofsted · 4 years agoThis judgement is from May 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its May 2013 inspection - down from Outstanding.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
6.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 93% to 88% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 87% to 78% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 83% to 72% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.0
Avg class size
29.3
Infant (KS1)
30.5
KS2
7
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester.
- Jacqui Robinson Education590m away · Not yet graded
- Friars Grove Camp @ EPC850m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester 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
- 26
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 26 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 18 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
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What the report includes for St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester:
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- Applications, first choices and offers at St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester for 2014 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.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
101%
Over capacity
212 pupils
210 places
2 pupils over capacity 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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
18
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
11.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
210
Total Pupils
115
Boys
95
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
21.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,172
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,151
Per pupil
£1188k
Total funding
£33k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.7%
Overall absence
5.3%
Persistent absence
188
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
St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester
Questions parents ask about St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester
What are SATs results like at St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester?
Of the pupils at St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 88% reached the expected standard in reading and 78% did so in maths.
What is St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester's Ofsted rating?
St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2022, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester?
No fixed boundary. When St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester is oversubscribed, Essex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester?
St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester was full in 2025, at 101% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester?
Classes at St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester average 30 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester?
St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester has around 210 pupils on roll. 6% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester?
3.7% of sessions were missed at St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester in 2024/25. 5.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester?
Apply through Essex's coordinated admissions process, naming St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester 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 St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester: Jacqui Robinson Education (590m away, registered, not yet graded) and Friars Grove Camp @ EPC (850m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 26 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 18 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 St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester?
St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester is at Clay Lane Grove, COLCHESTER, Essex, CO4 0HH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)