Plume School Catchment Area
Plume School is an academy converter secondary school in Maldon, Essex , serving pupils aged 11-18, with 1786 pupils, and a capacity of 1841 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
11-18
Age range
1,786
Pupils
1,841
Capacity
97%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2023
Plume School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Plume School?
The catchment area for Plume 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, 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, Plume 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.
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 →Plume School: 1841 places, 97% filled: nearing capacity
Plume School has a published admission number of 1841 places. 1786 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 97%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 1841, 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. 24.9% of pupils at Plume School are eligible for free school meals, broadly in line with the national average. This reflects a mixed catchment population across Essex.
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) →
Plume School: School Information
- Full address
- Fambridge Road, Maldon, CM9 6AB
- Local authority
- Essex
- School type
- Academy converter
- Phase of education
- Secondary
- Age range
- 11-18 years
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 24.9% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 137790
Nearest secondary schools by distance
These are the secondary schools closest to Plume 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: Plume School
What is the catchment area for Plume School? ▾
The catchment area for Plume 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, 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 Plume School oversubscribed? ▾
Plume School is operating close to its capacity of 1841 places (97% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for Plume School? ▾
Admission to Plume 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 Plume School cover? ▾
Plume School is a secondary school in Maldon, 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 Plume School? ▾
Plume School was rated Good by Ofsted in 2023. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.