Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Catchment Area
Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is a voluntary aided primary school in Colchester, Essex , serving pupils aged 5-11, with 131 pupils, and a capacity of 140 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
5-11
Age range
131
Pupils
140
Capacity
94%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2019
Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
The catchment area for Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is the geographic zone Essex uses to prioritise admissions when this primary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and, in most years, faith-based criteria. Essex publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Admission to Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is managed by Essex and typically includes both faith criteria and catchment area proximity. The weighting given to each criterion depends on the school's published oversubscription policy, which is reviewed annually.
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Essex before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find Essex catchment area documents →Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School: 140 places, 94% filled: nearing capacity
Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School has a published admission number of 140 places. 131 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 94%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 140, Essex's admissions team applies distance-based tiebreakers. Families within the school's historical catchment boundary are well placed, but a boundary check with the council is recommended before applying.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 9.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, below the national average. The school draws primarily from a lower-deprivation part of Colchester.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Essex publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Essex Council school admissions (official) →
Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School: School Information
- Full address
- School Hill, Birch, Colchester, CO2 0LZ
- Local authority
- Essex
- School type
- Voluntary aided school
- Phase of education
- Primary
- Age range
- 5-11 years
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Free school meals
- 9.2% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 115138
Other Primary Schools in Colchester
If Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is oversubscribed, these primary schools in Colchester are the next closest alternatives.
St. George's School Catchment Area
Community school · CO2 7RU
Hamilton Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · CO3 3GB
Lexden Primary School with Unit for Hearing Impaired Pupils Catchment Area
Community school · CO3 9AS
Myland Community Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · CO4 5LD
North Primary School and Nursery Catchment Area
Community school · CO1 1RP
Old Heath Community Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · CO2 8DD
Other Church of England Schools in Essex
Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School shares its religious character with these Church of England schools across Essex. Faith criteria typically sit alongside catchment distance in each school's admissions policy.
Kendall Church of England Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · Colchester
St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · COLCHESTER
Holy Trinity Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Halstead Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · Halstead
St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · Sudbury
Nearest primary schools by distance
These are the primary schools closest to Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
Layer-de-la-Haye Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · Colchester · 1.6 miles away
Copford Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · Colchester · 2.1 miles away
Stanway Fiveways Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · Colchester · 2.7 miles away
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
What is the catchment area for Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School? ▾
The catchment area for Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is the geographic zone Essex uses to prioritise admissions when this primary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and, in most years, faith-based criteria. Essex publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School oversubscribed? ▾
Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is operating close to its capacity of 140 places (94% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School? ▾
Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School uses both faith criteria and catchment area proximity in its admissions policy. The weighting is reviewed annually and published by Essex before each admissions cycle.
What age range does Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School cover? ▾
Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is a primary school in Colchester, Essex, serving pupils aged 5-11. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School? ▾
Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School was rated Good by Ofsted in 2019. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.