The Boswells School, Chelmsford

From the headteacher's welcome: "The Boswells School is an extremely popular, academically successful, over-subscribed 11-18 school in Chelmsford, Essex that has an excellent reputation within the community. Our academic success makes us one of the highest achieving schools in Essex."

Coming up: an open evening on Wednesday 4 November 2026 and an open day on Wednesday 18 November 2026 at 9.15am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at The Boswells School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 49.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.5 in Essex and 47 across England.

47% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 45% in Essex and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 48.4.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.16: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 36.5, against 51.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 14.9 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 28 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and History.

For September 2026 entry, 247 families put The Boswells School as their first choice and 860 named it as one of their preferences, for 241 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 52 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Boswells School are The Beaulieu Park School (0.8 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 59.3); Chelmsford County High School for Girls (1.1 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 81.4); St John Payne Catholic School, Chelmsford (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.7); and King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford (1.3 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 83).

The Boswells School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

The Boswells School is one of 11 schools run by The Chelmsford Learning Partnership, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 50.3 in 2024/25.

Of the 243 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 80% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 36% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 131 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 57% went on to university or other higher education, 10% to apprenticeships and 23% into work. 18% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

14.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 11.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (75%), Asian (6%) and Black (5%).

In 2026, 135 pupils (9.5%) received SEN support and 37 (2.6%) 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.

The nearest railway station is Chelmsford Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Falmouth Road (opposite), 130 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Boswells School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 162 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Essex (97), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, The Boswells School issued 160 suspensions, 11.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Boswells School are Perryfields Junior School (0.1 miles), Perryfields Infant School (0.1 miles), The Tyrrells School (0.2 miles) and Springfield Primary School (0.4 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.