The Stanway School, Colchester

In 2026, pupils at The Stanway School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48.3, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.5 in Essex and 47 across England.

52% 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 48.2.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.07: pupils made about 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 33.6, against 50.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 16.9 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 31 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and History.

For September 2026 entry, 254 families put The Stanway School as their first choice and 844 named it as one of their preferences, for 273 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 8 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Stanway School are Philip Morant School and College (1.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.6); Paxman Academy (1.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.4); St Benedict's Catholic College (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 58.4); and Colchester County High School for Girls (1.5 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 79.7).

The Stanway School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

The Stanway School is one of 12 schools run by The Sigma Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 42.8 in 2024/25.

Of the 279 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 88% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 38% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

16.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 143 pupils (10.2%) received SEN support and 41 (2.9%) 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 Marks Tey Rail Station, about 2.4 miles away in a straight line.

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Secondary School (opposite), 170 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 146 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.

In 2024/25, The Stanway School issued 176 suspensions, 12.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 5 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Stanway School are Stanway Primary School (0.2 miles); Stanway Fiveways Primary School (0.2 miles); Lakelands Primary School (0.3 miles); and St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.