Colchester Royal Grammar School
Colchester Royal Grammar School at a glance
Colchester Royal Grammar School is a boys’ grammar school in Colchester for students aged 11 to 18, with about 1070 pupils. It has a Christian religious character. It is part of The Thinking Schools Academy Trust. Year 7 places are given through the CSSE 11+, and the school has a sixth form.
For September 2026 entry it offered 128 places and was the first choice of 280 families — about 2.2 for every place. 38% of all applications came from families in other council areas.
In 2024/25, 100% of its GCSE students achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths, against 45% across England’s state schools. Its A-level students averaged A per entry, and 78% achieved AAB or better including at least two facilitating subjects.
Getting in: the 11+ and how places are given
- Test
- CSSE 11+
- Set by
- Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE), which writes its own papers
- What it covers
- English (including a writing task) and maths
How places are given
Each school sets its own qualifying score and priority rules; several rank applicants by score within catchment or priority areas.
How to register and apply
Register on the CSSE website in the summer term of Year 5 — one test covers every consortium school. Name the schools on your secondary application by 31 October.
Admissions rules change each year. Check the school’s current admissions policy — area details last checked October 2026.
Scores needed for a place
| Entry | Measure | Applies to | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 2025 | Lowest score offered | All applicantsThe school had no priority area for this entry year. | 343 |
| Sept 2024 | Lowest score offered | All applicants | 337 |
| Sept 2023 | Lowest score offered | All applicants | 340 |
Scale: CSSE total standardised score (English and maths). Sources: CSSE historical guidance sheet, CSSE historical guidance sheet, CSSE historical guidance sheet. Scores change every year and depend on how many children apply — treat them as a guide, not a target.
How many families apply
| Entry | Places | 1st choices | 1st choices per place | All applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 2026 | 128 | 280 | 2.2 | 804 |
| Sept 2025 | 124 | 274 | 2.2 | 780 |
| Sept 2024 | 125 | 226 | 1.8 | 631 |
Source: DfE, secondary school applications and offers. Places offered on National Offer Day; first preferences are families who put the school first on their council application.
Exam results
GCSE, 2024/25 · 128 pupils
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Grade 4 or above in English and maths
Attainment 8 (average across 8 subjects)
| Year | Grade 5+ Eng & maths | Attainment 8 | Progress 8 | EBacc points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 100.0% | 82.1 | — | 7.85 |
| 2023/24 | 100.0% | 83.4 | +1.09 | 7.99 |
| 2022/23 | — | — | — | — |
A level, 2024/25 · 202 students
- Average grade
- A
- England: B-
- AAB or better*
- 78%
- England: 18%
- Value added
- +0.19
*AAB or better, with at least two in facilitating subjects. Value added compares students’ results with others who started from similar GCSEs; above 0 is better than expected.
Source: DfE school and college performance tables. England figures are for all state-funded schools. Progress 8 was not published for 2024/25.
Key facts
- Admits at 11
- Boys
- Ages
- 11–18
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Boarding
- Boarding school
- Religious character
- Christian
- Pupils
- 1,073 (capacity 777)
- Free school meals
- 4.7% of pupils eligible
- School type
- Academy converter
- Trust
- The Thinking Schools Academy Trust
- Local authority
- Essex
- Constituency
- Colchester
From the Department for Education’s register (URN 149899), October 2026.
Thinking about Colchester Royal Grammar School?
See where your child stands with our free 15-minute 11+ readiness check — a score for Maths, English, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, judged against their year.