Colchester Royal Grammar School Catchment Area
Colchester Royal Grammar School is an academy converter secondary school in Colchester, Essex , serving pupils aged 11-18, with 1059 pupils, and a capacity of 777 places. The school is currently at or above capacity, making catchment area proximity important for admissions.
11-18
Age range
1,059
Pupils
777
Capacity
136%
Fill rate
Inadequate
Ofsted 2021
Colchester Royal Grammar School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Colchester Royal Grammar School?
The catchment area for Colchester Royal Grammar School 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, though entry first depends on passing the selective admissions test. Essex publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Entry to Colchester Royal Grammar School is selective, and applicants must pass the relevant admissions test. Among qualifying applicants, Essex may use distance or catchment area as a tiebreaker when the school is oversubscribed. Check the admissions policy for how the selection and distance criteria interact.
Not getting a place? Learn how to appeal a school place →
Want the cut-off distance before you apply? Get an alert when Essex publishes the 2027 Colchester Royal Grammar School numbers →
The full admissions policy, including test registration dates, qualifying scores, and any distance criteria, is published by Essex before each admissions cycle. Verify your child's eligibility and your home address directly with the council.
Find Essex catchment area documents →Colchester Royal Grammar School: heavily oversubscribed at 136% capacity
Colchester Royal Grammar School has a published admission number of 777 places. 1059 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 136%. At 136% capacity, the school is heavily oversubscribed. Essex allocates places using ranked criteria: looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment distance. Living within the catchment area is a strong but not guaranteed advantage, as the last distance offered shrinks each year as applications rise.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 4.5% 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) →
Colchester Royal Grammar School: School Information
- Full address
- Lexden Road, Colchester, CO3 3ND
- Local authority
- Essex
- School type
- Academy converter
- Phase of education
- Secondary
- Age range
- 11-18 years
- Gender
- Boys
- Religious character
- Christian
- Admissions policy
- Selective
- Free school meals
- 4.5% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 149899
Other Secondary Schools in Colchester
If Colchester Royal Grammar School is oversubscribed, these secondary schools in Colchester are the next closest alternatives.
St Benedict's Catholic College Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · CO3 3US
Colchester Academy Catchment Area
Academy sponsor led · CO4 3JL
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
Other Christian Schools in Essex
Colchester Royal Grammar School shares its religious character with these Christian schools across Essex. Faith criteria typically sit alongside catchment distance in each school's admissions policy.
Nearest secondary schools by distance
These are the secondary schools closest to Colchester Royal Grammar 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.
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: Colchester Royal Grammar School
What is the catchment area for Colchester Royal Grammar School? ▾
The catchment area for Colchester Royal Grammar School 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, though entry first depends on passing the selective admissions test. Essex publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is Colchester Royal Grammar School oversubscribed? ▾
Yes, Colchester Royal Grammar School currently has 1059 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 777 places. Catchment area proximity is an important admissions criterion when applying.
What is the admissions policy for Colchester Royal Grammar School? ▾
Colchester Royal Grammar School is a selective school: admission requires passing the relevant admissions test. Essex publishes the full policy each year, including test dates, qualifying scores, and any distance tiebreaker.
What age range does Colchester Royal Grammar School cover? ▾
Colchester Royal Grammar School is a secondary school in Colchester, Essex, serving pupils aged 11-18. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for Colchester Royal Grammar School? ▾
Colchester Royal Grammar School was rated Inadequate by Ofsted in 2021. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.