Great Bentley Primary School Catchment Area
Great Bentley Primary School is an academy converter primary school in Colchester, Essex , serving pupils aged 5-11, with 244 pupils, and a capacity of 270 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
5-11
Age range
244
Pupils
270
Capacity
90%
Fill rate
Outstanding
Ofsted 2015
Great Bentley Primary School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Great Bentley Primary School?
The catchment area for Great Bentley 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 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, Great Bentley Primary School 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 Great Bentley Primary School 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 →Great Bentley Primary School: 270 places, 90% filled: nearing capacity
Great Bentley Primary School has a published admission number of 270 places. 244 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 90%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 270, 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. 11.5% 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) →
Great Bentley Primary School: School Information
- Full address
- Plough Road, Great Bentley, Colchester, CO7 8LD
- Local authority
- Essex
- School type
- Academy converter
- Phase of education
- Primary
- Age range
- 5-11 years
- Free school meals
- 11.5% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 149967
Other Primary Schools in Colchester
If Great Bentley 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
Nearest primary schools by distance
These are the primary schools closest to Great Bentley 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions: Great Bentley Primary School
What is the catchment area for Great Bentley Primary School? ▾
The catchment area for Great Bentley 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 siblings. Essex publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is Great Bentley Primary School oversubscribed? ▾
Great Bentley Primary School is operating close to its capacity of 270 places (90% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for Great Bentley Primary School? ▾
Admission to Great Bentley Primary School 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 Great Bentley Primary School cover? ▾
Great Bentley 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 Great Bentley Primary School? ▾
Great Bentley Primary School was rated Outstanding by Ofsted in 2015. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.