Essex / Essex 11+
Norman Way, Colchester, CO3 3US
Colchester County High School for Girls
1
A selective girls grammar school in Colchester, Essex, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,210 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective girls grammar school in Colchester, Essex, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,210 pupils on roll. Colchester County High School for Girls serves girls aged 11-18 and keeps a full sixth form on site. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,210 pupils on roll and 192 Year 7 places.
From a family point of view, admissions are likely to be one of the most important parts of the picture. The current route includes CSSE, with 192 places available in Year 7 and roughly 3.8 applicants per place in the latest stored admissions picture. Catchment or distance rules still matter at allocation stage, so this is the kind of school where families need to read the admissions policy carefully rather than rely on headline scores alone.
The academic side of the school is backed by enough published data to give families a useful starting point. The latest published Ofsted judgement is Outstanding. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 0.99 and Attainment 8 at 80.8. 99.4% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 44% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 76% moving into higher education.
Published school information highlights facilities such as Library. For many parents, the presence of a sixth form is part of the attraction, because it gives able pupils the option to stay in a familiar academic setting through to A level. Taken together, those features make Colchester County High School for Girls the kind of school that rewards careful research into travel, admissions detail, and day-to-day fit, not just headline outcomes.
Creative writing is tested in this school's current 11+ assessment.
A weak creative writing piece can leave a child short of qualification. 11 Plus Writing Coach helps families build steadier practice and clearer feedback.
From our 11 Plus Writing Coach site
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Essex and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Essex and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Essex and England.
For 2027 entry, register through CSSE by 19 June 2026, submit the Essex CAF by 31 October 2026, and only send the CCHSG supplementary form if you are applying under the looked after, previously looked after, pupil premium, or service pupil premium criteria.
The priority area is 25 miles from the school in a straight line. For 2027 entry, priority-area residence must be maintained from 31 October 2026 to the start of Year 7.
Looked after and previously looked after children scoring 320 or above.
Children in care and previously looked after children are considered first if they reach the school's minimum qualifying score of 320.
Up to 20 pupil premium places for the highest-scoring eligible applicants scoring 320 or above.
These places are reserved for applicants who meet the published pupil premium eligibility rules and reach the minimum score threshold.
Up to 10 service pupil premium places for the highest-scoring eligible applicants scoring 320 or above and living in the priority area.
Applicants must satisfy the published service pupil premium definition and the priority-area residence rule.
Priority-area places are then allocated by score rank until 154 places have been filled after EHCP and criteria 1 to 3.
The priority area is a 25-mile straight-line radius from the school.
The remaining 38 places are then allocated by score rank regardless of where applicants live.
Residence only affects the priority-area tranche; the final score-only places are open to the highest remaining scorers.
Admissions policy
A1 School Admissions Policy 2027/28
2027 entry
Information booklet
CSSE Information Guide 2027 Entry
2027 entry
Information booklet
11+ Results Day FAQ 2026
2026 entry
Score cut-off
CSSE Historical Guidance Sheet 2026 Entry
2026 entry
2025
322
Initial offer score
The shared CSSE 11+ selective test applies. Candidates sit one English paper and one mathematics paper, with creative writing included within the English paper. The two papers are weighted equally and scores are mathematically standardised with age adjustment where required. The published format does not list separate verbal reasoning or non-verbal reasoning papers.
This school uses the shared Essex (CSSE) consortium route. The consortium page brings together the common test format, key dates and official papers used across that route.
Open Essex (CSSE) guidePaper 1
English
English paper
60-minute English paper plus 10 minutes reading time, covering comprehension, grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, and creative writing.
Paper 2
Maths
Mathematics paper
60-minute mathematics paper.
English, Maths and Creative writing are included in the published format.
Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning and Science are not listed in the current published format.
English
Maths
Creative writing
Included within the published English paper.
Verbal reasoning
Non-verbal reasoning
Science
CSSE registration opens
12 May 2026
CSSE registration closes
19 June 2026
CSSE test date
19 September 2026
Alternative test date
29 September 2026
Results issued
12 October 2026
Essex CAF opens
12 September 2026
Essex CAF deadline
31 October 2026
National offer day
1 March 2027
Read the admissions policy
Check the published 2027/28 policy for the 192-place intake, the 25-mile priority area, and the score threshold rules.
Open admissions policyRegister with CSSE
Register through CSSE during the published May to June window so your child can sit the September entrance test.
Open CSSE guidanceSubmit the supplementary form if eligible
Only complete the CCHSG supplementary form if you are applying under the looked after, previously looked after, pupil premium, or service pupil premium criteria.
Open supplementary formName the school on the Essex application
Submit the Essex Common Application Form by 31 October 2026. Registering for the test does not count as your school application.
Open Essex admissionsAdmissions policy
A1 School Admissions Policy 2027/28
2027 entry
Information booklet
CSSE Information Guide 2027 Entry
2027 entry
Information booklet
11+ Results Day FAQ 2026
2026 entry
Key dates
Essex Secondary Co-ordinated Scheme 2027 to 2028
2027 entry
Supplementary form
SIF Admissions CCHSG 2027/28
2027 entry
Latest official destinations data currently covers 2022/23 study leavers.
Recent trend
This follows the school's published overall GCSE score across the subjects pupils take. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 83.2 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 80.5 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 80.8 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 80.6 | 72.3 | 46.8 |
Recent trend
This follows the published average A-level result for the school's sixth form. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | A- average (47.9 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | B+ average (44.2 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | B- average (37.5 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | A- average (45.3 points) | 41.8 points | 35.0 points |
Recent trend
This follows the share of pupils moving into a sustained destination after Year 11, such as education, apprenticeships, or employment.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 99% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 97% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 99% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 98% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 98% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 0% |
| In employment | 1% |
Latest inspection: 29 November 2023
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
Same Essex area with a comparable local commute
Same wider selective region and a similar admissions route
Same wider selective region and a similar admissions route
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Best Grammar Schools in Essex
Compare the best grammar schools in Essex for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Essex sits within the Essex (CSSE) route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
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Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Best Grammar Schools in Essex
Compare the best grammar schools in Essex for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Essex sits within the Essex (CSSE) route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
Best Girls' Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best girls grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county and Ofsted before comparing realistic shortlist options.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
FAQ
Colchester County High School for Girls currently uses CSSE.
1. Read the admissions policy: Check the published 2027/28 policy for the 192-place intake, the 25-mile priority area, and the score threshold rules. 2. Register with CSSE: Register through CSSE during the published May to June window so your child can sit the September entrance test. 3. Submit the supplementary form if eligible: Only complete the CCHSG supplementary form if you are applying under the looked after, previously looked after, pupil premium, or service pupil premium criteria. 4. Name the school on the Essex application: Submit the Essex Common Application Form by 31 October 2026. Registering for the test does not count as your school application.
CSSE registration opens: 12 May 2026. CSSE registration closes: 19 June 2026. CSSE test date: 19 September 2026. Alternative test date: 29 September 2026. Results issued: 12 October 2026. Essex CAF opens: 12 September 2026. Essex CAF deadline: 31 October 2026. National offer day: 1 March 2027
Colchester County High School for Girls is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 29 November 2023.