St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester, Colchester
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Colchester, part of The Rosary Trust - A Catholic Multi Academy. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 12th-highest of the 66 schools in Colchester with published results, and 2,457th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.4 first-choice applications for every place. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
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
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester in detail
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Thank you for expressing your interest in St Teresa's Catholic Primary School and Nursery."
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 94% of Year 6 pupils at St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester reached the expected standard in reading and 81% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 76% in Essex and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 85% in reading and 82% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester
For September 2026 entry, 41 families put St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester as their first choice and 94 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.4 first choices for every place. 12 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester are Home Farm Primary School (0.2 miles, 82% reading, 89% maths); Lexden Primary School with Unit for Hearing Impaired Pupils (0.3 miles, Good, 80% reading, 77% maths); Stanway Fiveways Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 77% reading, 73% maths); and Stanway Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 75% reading, 74% maths).
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Home Farm Primary SchoolLexden Primary School with Unit for Hearing Impaired PupilsStanway Fiveways Primary SchoolStanway Primary School
The trust
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester is one of 7 schools run by The Rosary Trust - A Catholic Multi Academy, an academy trust.
All 7 schools in The Rosary Trust - A Catholic Multi Academy
What parents say
52 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester (as of September 2025): 85% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 71% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that pupils behave well (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (71%).
Who goes there
6.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 12 pupils (4.8%) received SEN support and 7 (2.8%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Colchester Rail Station, about 2.1 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Clairmont Road (opposite), 170 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 152 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
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester are The Stanway School (0.5 miles), Philip Morant School and College (0.9 miles), St Benedict's Catholic College (1 mile) and Colchester County High School for Girls (1 mile).
The Stanway SchoolPhilip Morant School and CollegeSt Benedict's Catholic CollegeColchester County High School for Girls
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from January 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Teresa's is a school where children truly thrive. The teachers are skilled and deliver an ambitious curriculum that helps pupils make rapid progress and retain what they learn. The school creates a caring community where children look out for each other and develop strong values of respect and compassion, preparing them well for life beyond school.
Key Strengths
- Excellent teaching and rapid pupil progress with strong subject knowledge across the curriculum
- Outstanding behaviour with a caring ethos where pupils genuinely support each other
- Very effective reading instruction with additional support for pupils who need it
- Highly inclusive approach with well-trained staff meeting individual needs of pupils with SEND
- Pupils develop strong curiosity, debate skills and understanding of global issues
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Breakfast club, after-school clubs, school trips, practical activities, Mini Vinnies charity organisation, leadership roles in assemblies
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School is an outstanding school where pupils flourish academically and develop strong social and moral values. All key areas of the school - quality of education, behaviour, personal development, and leadership - have been rated as outstanding.
At a Glance
6.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
52 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 85% to 94% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 81% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 88% to 81% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
31.7
Avg class size
28.5
Infant (KS1)
31.7
KS2
6
Total classes
4 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester
2nd October 2026 Newsletter
2 Oct 2026
25th September 2026 Newsletter
25 Sep 2026
18th September 2026 Newsletter
18 Sep 2026
11th September 2026 Newsletter
11 Sep 2026
4th September 2026 Newsletter
4 Sep 2026
From St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester
Before and after school care
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Essex
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester.
- Conexus Tuition Colchester700m away · Not yet graded
- Stanway Fiveways Holiday Club810m away · Not yet graded
- Kidz Camp Essex Colchester860m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Teresa's Catholic 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
- 14
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 3
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, 2 serious and 12 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 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
Your chances of a place at St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester
Will you get a place at St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Essex, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Teresa's Catholic 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.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
99%
Near capacity
217 pupils
218 places
1 spare place 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(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
12
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
7.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
252
Total Pupils
115
Boys
137
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
21.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,639
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,994
Per pupil
£1182k
Total funding
£23k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.7%
Overall absence
6.8%
Persistent absence
192
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 Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester
Questions parents ask about St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester
What are SATs results like at St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester?
Of the pupils at St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 94% reached the expected standard in reading and 81% did so in maths.
What is St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester's Ofsted rating?
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester?
No fixed boundary. When St Teresa's Catholic 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 Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester?
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester?
Classes at St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester average 31.7 pupils (2025/26). 4 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester?
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester has around 252 pupils on roll. 7% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester?
3.7% of sessions were missed at St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester in 2024/25. 6.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester?
Apply through Essex's coordinated admissions process, naming St Teresa's Catholic 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 Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester have a breakfast club or after-school club?
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Ofsted's childcare register lists 3 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester: Conexus Tuition Colchester (700m away, registered, not yet graded), Stanway Fiveways Holiday Club (810m away, registered, not yet graded) and Kidz Camp Essex Colchester (860m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester?
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, 2 serious and 12 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 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 St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester?
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester is at Clairmont Road, Lexden, Colchester, Essex, CO3 9BE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)