Primary schools in Colchester

[Mucky72]

Hiya
We are moving to Colchester this summer from Bromley, Kent. as DH is starting at Colchester County Hospital around then. I am looking for some advice on primary schools in the area. DS is 7 in Yr3 and DD is 5 in Yr1 currently in a very good state primary here.
Our choice of home will be dependent on the school catchment. Before I start enquiring and applying to schools, I am keen to get some feedback on the good primary schools in terms of results and how many pupils go on to Colchester Grammar from there. I may have to consider an independent school in the worse case scenario, just in case I don't find the right state primary for both.
Thanks,
Mucky72

Hello!
DH and I moved to Colchester from Bromley 2 years ago! I was a teacher before I put the career on hold to raise DD (2 years old) so schools were a big deal for us too. If the kids are academic and you want state education - go for a Hamilton primary catchment (very popular school!!) we live on the bovis victory square development (new build) where most people get their first choice school be it Hamilton or St. John's green (not as academic but has a brand new site just built last year and have only heard good things about it!)
If you really want the kids to get into one of colchesters grammar schools and are willing to consider private it's oxford house school. It's the cheapest of the private schools from my research but from what I can tell from looking round and the reviews online they push the kids super hard - to about 1 year above their expected level.
Hope that helps :D
Cara xxx

Thanks Cara. That's helpful. In addition to the Hamilton catchment, are there any other areas which may be worth considering, as a back up? I have been told Chelmsford grammar admission is now catchment based. That is another option we are looking at, if that means DH has to commute from Chelmsford to Colchester.

I replied to your other post :-) - in terms of state primary schools that regularly get more than 1 or 2 kids into the grammar school then Highwoods usually gets half a dozen in, (I've heard Hamilton are similar) but the rest of the primary schools in North Colchester / villages don't actively coach for the 11+ Highwoods is the exception and will probably be rated outstanding soon but you would have to live within catchment.

In terms of private then agree with Mucky that Oxford House is the crammer and your best chance of getting into the grammar - it's also next door to Essex County Hospital.

Fees wise - i don't think there's much between the private day schools apart from Holmwood House which also does boarding.

Hi EssexMummy,

Thanks for the info, v helpful to get the names of schools to consider. I remember when we loved from Wales to Bromley, getting a good primary school or ANY primary school in our catchment was an utter nightmare! In the end I had to keep my DD with me at home (although she was already in Reception in Cardiff) here in Bromley because the LEA couldn't find her a school! Fortunately it was in May and June so summer holidays started soon after and fortunately she was given a place at DS's school in Sep.
For Colchester, it looks like a similar situation. We cannot move until May at the earliest. However I am guessing no school will be able to let us know of a place until we physically move into the catchment. So we might lose out on a place by the time we move anyway? Will schools even consider putting us on a waiting list of we don't move until May?
Also, Bromley council required a massive list of documents along with the admission form? Is it the same for Essex LEA?
In terms of areas to live- in terms of shops/parks/safety/family friendly areas, how do the areas around Hamilton and Highwood fare?
Sorry to ask so many questions, I hope you don't mind. Totally clueless about the area at the moment!
Thanks again,
Mucky x

Hi,

If you are seriously looking at Hamilton I would suggest calling them to see how likely it would be that you would get into your year groups, its a heavily oversubscribed school and I know of one couple that moved in on its doorstep only to be told they had no chance of getting in. Even during the yearly intake reception places are hard to come by - The 2014 year was made up mainly of siblings, and around 21 children in the priority admission area did not get in.

Good luck with all your research!

I live in Colchester quite close to the hospital and all the schools in this area are over-subscribed. Having said that someone's children always get in so it's worth contacting the LEA. It's difficult timing for you with the school places being allocated in April and you not due to move until May so if you can pay for private that may well be an option.

Highwoods will have an intake of 60 in September and expects to be oversubscribed by 2/3rds again. Likewise private schools will also be filling up - Oxford House especially i would have thought.

Thank you all! I rang Hamilton today and was told they are heavily oversubscribed and chances are slim as far as Sep entries in our year groups are concerned. However she said I could speak to the LEA and try to get on a waiting list. Looking at the private schools in the area, it's not an option anymore as I would want either both DC to go or none. And sending both privately isn't an option for the time being.
Other than Hamilton and Highwoods, are there any state schools even worth considering? How about Catholic or CoE schools?
I am also toying with Chelmsford as an area to consider living if I get better schools there. Any feedback on Chelmsford state primaries? X

Many Colchester primary schools are oversubscribed, and the problem is even more acute in Chelmsford. Rampant housebuilding, huge population growth (birthrate is up around 20% over the past decade) and insufficient extra school places mean that the admissions process is becoming very stressful for parents and people are missing out. Essex County Council is now desperately hoping to expand some schools

You may wish to look at the villages along the western side of Colchester (if your DH is working at Essex County Hospital, as opposed to Colchester General Hospital). The villages have broadly kept their own schools and places are easier to come by than in Colchester itself. Have a look at Stanway, Copford, Marks Tey and Coggeshall.

If it is the General hospital, then look at the areas to the North of the town - Ardleigh, Highwoods etc.

It's also worth noting that applications for this school year closed in mid-January and so your application is likely to betreated as a "late" application. Unfortunately the schools system doesn't seem to care that people may move etc! On the primary school topic there are some excellent knowledgeable posters (tiggytape, phr47bridge and admissions in particular!) who may be able to give you some pointers on your application.

Colchester has a lot of good primaries worth considering but unfortunately if you move at the wrong time (as far as school applications are concerned) then your choice will be limited as you'll be at the bottom of the pile. It's just unfortunate.

Kelvedon is a lovely village (not cheap though) and has a good school, good links to the A12 for the hospital. Ardleigh is also good. But there has been a lot of development in housing the last few years and not very much in schooling expansion.

There is a new school being built at the moment in New Braiswick Park that is due to open for September 2015 and they were taking applications (outside of your normal 4 choices as it's still being built). It's being run as an academy by a company with successful schools already in their group. It may be worth speaking with them? They're called 'The Learning Pathways Trust' and their email is [email protected]. Braiswick is a nice area about 10 mins drive from the hospital.

Most of the primary schools on the outskirts of North Colchester are cofe schools, bar Highwoods which is the only one I've heard of that preps for the grammar. Even Dedham which is outstanding, listed in the Sunday Times top 500 and has fantastic key stage results doesn't prep or get more than a couple of children into the grammar.

I think you have to decide how keen you are on the Grammar school and perhaps consider if private tuition in the last couple of years would help in a state school that doesn't prepare for the 11+.

Thank you all for your inputs. Much appreciated. At least I have some idea about the region now! Will call the LEA Essex during half term and have a chat. Fingers crossed!!

If you are happy to be just outside Colchester then West Bergholt is worth considering. Good primary school and a nice village with activities for children: cubs, brownies, music and sports groups. My older DCs , at the grammar schools, have several friends who came from there. There are buses to the grammar schools and the drive to CGH is not too bad.

Other options to consider are Chappel and Fordham. There is a country road route you can take to get to the hospital via West Bergholt/ Great Horkeseley which cuts out the rush hour traffic. Both Chappel and Fordham are small village schools- depends wether you prefe a big or small school. Both are CofE as are most of the village schools. My son will be starting school in September and most schools don't coach for the 11+ but would suggest tutoring if your child showed aptitude. Fordham does however offer a 11+ after school club. Catchment secondary for these villages if you don't get into the grammar is Stanway which is currently rate as good by Ofsted.

Hi nicemarmot,
I have been looking at the village schools you mention. Unfortunately the ratings and results for Chappel are below average at best. Fordham is good, however I am not sure if I want to live in a proper village, having lived in cities throughout. I am sure some village schools are lovely but I am not sure if I could get used to that.
At the moment we are considering Highwoods as one of our other options as Hamilton have no spaces and are fully over subscribed.
We went to Chelmsford today for a day trip and looked around. Plan to do the same for Colchester soon.

I am also looking at schools in colchester - I'm from there originally and currently live nearby but am looking to move back. In year admissions as I am finding are incredibly stressful and complicated! Especially if you like you and I you need 2 places at the same school. I will just say that Highwoods is quite a mixed area so I would definitely have a look around there first. I know colchester well and am finding it hard so I'm sure it's extra complicated for you. My understanding is that these days there aren't enough places at grammar school for all the children that pass the 11+, so passing it is only the first hurdle.

Hi there, we negotiated the in year admissions process last year when we moved back to colchester from kent, for family reasons. We were lucky enough to get one place in Hamilton, but had to put my other school age child into a local independent school. We were recently told there could be a space coming up for her in hamilton, but after a year in the independent it felt unfair to move her again. Hamilton is a really excellent school and if she was a slightly more confident child I would definitely have moved her there without hesitation.

We are also interested in the Colch grammar schools, but really hope they look at applying a boundary to applications as Chelmsford have now done, as the competition and pressure is huge. Don't know if it's something they are even considering though.