Colchester Academy Catchment Area
Colchester Academy is an academy sponsor led secondary school in Colchester, Essex , serving pupils aged 11-16, with 899 pupils, and a capacity of 910 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
11-16
Age range
899
Pupils
910
Capacity
99%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2023
Colchester Academy Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Colchester Academy?
The catchment area for Colchester Academy is the geographic zone Essex uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary 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 siblings. Essex publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
As an academy, Colchester Academy sets its own admissions criteria, agreed with Essex. The catchment area boundary is defined in the school's annual admissions policy, which may differ from the LA's general school admissions arrangements.
Get an alert if Colchester Academy goes oversubscribed for 2027 →
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 →Colchester Academy: 910 places, 99% filled: nearing capacity
Colchester Academy has a published admission number of 910 places. 899 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 99%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 910, 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. 40.8% of pupils at Colchester Academy are eligible for free school meals, above the national average of around 24%. This reflects the school's role in a higher-deprivation area 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) →
Colchester Academy: School Information
- Full address
- Hawthorn Avenue, Colchester, CO4 3JL
- Local authority
- Essex
- School type
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase of education
- Secondary
- Age range
- 11-16 years
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 40.8% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 136195
Other Secondary Schools in Colchester
If Colchester Academy is oversubscribed, these secondary schools in Colchester are the next closest alternatives.
St Benedict's Catholic College Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · CO3 3US
Honywood School Catchment Area
Academy converter · CO6 1PZ
East Bergholt High School Catchment Area
Academy converter · CO7 6RJ
Thurstable School Catchment Area
Academy converter · CO5 0EW
Colchester County High School for Girls Catchment Area
Academy converter · CO3 3US
The Gilberd School Catchment Area
Academy converter · CO4 9PU
Nearest secondary schools by distance
These are the secondary schools closest to Colchester Academy 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions: Colchester Academy
What is the catchment area for Colchester Academy? ▾
The catchment area for Colchester Academy is the geographic zone Essex uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary 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 siblings. Essex publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is Colchester Academy oversubscribed? ▾
Colchester Academy is operating close to its capacity of 910 places (99% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for Colchester Academy? ▾
Admission to Colchester Academy is managed by Essex. When oversubscribed, places go to looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment area distance. Always verify the current policy with the council before applying.
What age range does Colchester Academy cover? ▾
Colchester Academy is a secondary school in Colchester, Essex, serving pupils aged 11-16. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for Colchester Academy? ▾
Colchester Academy was rated Good by Ofsted in 2023. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.