Holmwood House School
Same Essex area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 17 August 2026
Colchester Prep & High School is a private secondary-stage school in Colchester, Essex, with a published age range of 2-16.
Private school Co-ed Ages 2-16 No sixth form listed No boarders
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 2-16
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
Colchester Prep & High School
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 2-16
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
Colchester Prep & High School has spent more than 140 years building an all-through community from age two to 16. Nursery, Pre-Prep and Prep lead into the Senior School, allowing children to stay within one co-educational day school as lessons become more specialised. Digital work and practical projects give the older years a modern direction without losing the breadth of a traditional school curriculum.
Specialist teaching begins early in Computing, Music, Drama, Modern Languages and PE, alongside English, mathematics, science, humanities and creative subjects. In the Senior School, STEAM joins Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics through design thinking, programming, coding, food science and animation. Pupils are given several ways to understand a subject, make something with it and explain what they have learned.
Robotics, digital arts, performance, debating, sport and outdoor activity add a lively dimension to the week. The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, competitions and trips - including visits to Berlin, Ypres, the Tate Modern and the Globe Theatre - give senior pupils experience beyond the classroom and connect schoolwork with places, audiences and practical challenges.
Colchester Prep & High is non-selective and applications are made directly to the school. The process can include an open day or personal tour, registration, a taster day and assessment for the relevant year group. Its all-through structure makes the point of entry a significant part of the school's admissions pattern, particularly in the senior years.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 86% grade 5+ in English and maths and 61 Attainment 8
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Essex and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 61
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 86%
- EBacc APS
- 5.39
- EBacc entry
- 25.6%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Essex and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Age range
- 2-16
- Principal
- Ms Karen Gracie-Langrick
- Pupil roll
- 280 pupils
- Sixth form
- No
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Wellesley Road, Colchester, Essex
- Postcode
- CO3 3HD
- Area
- Essex
School leadership
- Principal
- Ms Karen Gracie-Langrick
School contact
- School phone
- 01206573389
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions email
- info@colchesterhighschool.co.uk
- Admissions phone
- 01206573389
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 2-16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Boarding
- No boarders
- Day fees
- £6,725-£7,190 per term including VAT for Years 7-11, 2026/27
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Check school site
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
Application
Application
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 61 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 93% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 86% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 5.39 EBacc APS
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 25 November 2025
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2025 records an inspection beginning 25 November 2025. The report says the relevant standards were met.
Similar schools and comparisons
Similar schools and comparisons
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Shortlist comparisons
Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Colchester Prep & High School handle admissions?
Colchester Prep & High School handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Colchester Prep & High School?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Colchester Prep & High School?
Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Colchester Prep & High School?
Colchester Prep & High School is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 25 November 2025.