Schools in Essex

Essex County Council coordinates admissions for community and voluntary-controlled schools across the county. Essex also has a selective grammar school system in the Southend, Chelmsford and Colchester areas, with the Essex 11+ test taking place in autumn for the following September's entry.

The county's non-selective schools are assigned catchment areas based on the nearest-school principle. In suburban Essex - particularly towns such as Brentwood, Epping and Loughton that border Greater London - primary schools can be competitive, with catchment boundaries shifting as pupil numbers change.

Families applying to Essex schools should submit preferences through Essex County Council's online portal by the January (secondary) or January (primary) deadlines. Those close to the Greater London border should also check whether out-of-borough applications to London schools are possible through the Pan-London co-ordinated admissions scheme.