Essex / Essex 11+
Broomfield Road, Chelmsford, CM1 3SX
King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford
1
A selective co-educational grammar school in Chelmsford, Essex, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,138 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective co-educational grammar school in Chelmsford, Essex, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,138 pupils on roll. Families looking at Chelmsford, Essex will usually see King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford as a selective option for boys and girls aged 11-18, with sixth form continuing the academic journey on the same site. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,138 pupils on roll and 150 Year 7 places.
For parents thinking about the 11+, the admissions picture is one of the clearest differentiators here. The current route includes CSSE, with 150 places available in Year 7 and demand that currently looks high by grammar-school standards. 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.
On current official measures, the school offers a clear academic profile for parents to weigh up. The latest published Ofsted judgement is Outstanding. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 1.11 and Attainment 8 at 83.7. 98.7% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 68.4% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 87% moving into higher education.
Published school information highlights facilities such as Theatre. The wider offer currently includes Choir, Drama, Duke of Edinburgh. 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. King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford is likely to appeal most to families who want strong academic expectations but also need the practical details, culture, and selective route to line up sensibly.
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 KEGS offers 150 Year 7 places through the CSSE test. The first 120 places are reserved for boys who have lived within 12.5 miles since 10 October of Year 6, with the remaining places filled by score regardless of address.
KEGS uses a 12.5-mile priority area. For 2027 entry, the first 120 places go to the highest-scoring boys who have lived continuously in that area since 10 October of Year 6, and the remaining places are then filled by score regardless of address.
Children with an EHCP naming KEGS
Children whose Education, Health and Care Plan names KEGS are admitted first.
Priority-area pupil premium and care-experienced applicants
Up to 8 of the first 120 places are reserved for boys living within 12.5 miles since 10 October of Year 6 who are pupil premium, looked after, previously looked after, or internationally adopted previously looked after, and who score at least 330.
Other priority-area applicants by score
The remainder of the first 120 places go to the highest-scoring boys who have continuously lived in the priority area since 10 October of Year 6.
Open pupil premium and care-experienced applicants
Up to 2 of the remaining places are reserved for equivalent applicants who score at least 350, regardless of address.
All remaining applicants by score
Remaining places are offered in descending score order regardless of address, with looked after status, pupil premium, straight-line distance, and then lots used to separate ties.
Structured exam detail is still being reviewed.
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
The CSSE English paper lasts 60 minutes with additional reading time.
Paper 2
Maths
Mathematics paper
The CSSE mathematics paper lasts 60 minutes.
English and Maths are included in the published format.
Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning and Science are not listed in the current published format.
English
Maths
Verbal reasoning
Non-verbal reasoning
Science
Creative writing
Registration opens
12 May 2026
Registration closes
19 June 2026
Exam date
19 September 2026
Results date
12 October 2026
Offer day
1 March 2027
Read the 2027 admissions policy
Check the KEGS policy for the priority-area rules, reserved-place score thresholds, and tie-break arrangements.
Open admissions policyRegister for the CSSE test
Complete the CSSE registration form between 12 May 2026 and 19 June 2026 so your son can sit the shared Essex test.
Register with CSSESubmit your home local authority application
Add KEGS on your Common Application Form by 31 October 2026. The test registration and school application are separate steps.
Check how to applyLatest 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 | 84.1 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 81.5 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 83.7 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 83.3 | 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 (51.4 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | A- average (47.2 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | A average (49.0 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | A average (49.0 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 | 99% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 100% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 99% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 99% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 0% |
| In employment | 0% |
Latest inspection: 9 December 2021
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
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FAQ
King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford currently uses CSSE.
1. Read the 2027 admissions policy: Check the KEGS policy for the priority-area rules, reserved-place score thresholds, and tie-break arrangements. 2. Register for the CSSE test: Complete the CSSE registration form between 12 May 2026 and 19 June 2026 so your son can sit the shared Essex test. 3. Submit your home local authority application: Add KEGS on your Common Application Form by 31 October 2026. The test registration and school application are separate steps.
Registration opens: 12 May 2026. Registration closes: 19 June 2026. Exam date: 19 September 2026. Results date: 12 October 2026. Offer day: 1 March 2027
King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 9 December 2021.