SchoolScoresBest secondary schools in Essex
How this list works. Ranked by the percentage of pupils achieving grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE, averaged over up to the last three years and weighted by the number of pupils each year. Only years with at least 10 pupils count, and a school needs at least one such year to be ranked. Independent schools, special schools and alternative provision are not ranked because their results aren't comparable. Ofsted outcomes are shown alongside but are not part of the ranking. Full methodology.
| # | School | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colchester Royal Grammar School Ofsted: Report card 2026: 4 exceptional, 3 strong · Grammar school (selective) · 2 years of results | 100% |
| 2 | Chelmsford County High School for Girls Ofsted: Outstanding (2024) · Grammar school (selective) | 100% |
| 3 | Colchester County High School for Girls Ofsted: Outstanding (2023) · Grammar school (selective) | 99% |
| 4 | King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford Ofsted: Report card 2026: 2 exceptional, 5 strong · Grammar school (selective) | 99% |
| 5 | Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School Ofsted: Good (2023) | 81% |
| 6 | Davenant Foundation School Ofsted: Report card 2026: 6 strong, 1 expected | 67% |
| 7 | Becket Keys CofE Free School Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) | 66% |
| 8 | The Beaulieu Park School Ofsted: Outstanding (2023) · 2 years of results | 64% |
| 9 | Moulsham High School Ofsted: Good (2020), improved significantly 2024 | 63% |
| 10 | Saffron Walden County High School Ofsted: Outstanding (2024) | 62% |
| 11 | St Benedict's Catholic College Ofsted: Good (2013), confirmed 2023 | 61% |
| 12 | Anglo European School Ofsted: Good (2024) | 57% |
| 13 | Great Baddow High School Ofsted: Report card 2026: 2 strong, 5 expected | 54% |
| 14 | The King John School Ofsted: Report card 2026: 6 strong, 1 expected | 54% |
| 15 | Lift Greensward Ofsted: Good (2014), confirmed 2023 | 54% |
| 16 | The Gilberd School Ofsted: Outstanding (2018), confirmed 2025 | 53% |
| 17 | Beauchamps High School Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) | 52% |
| 18 | West Hatch High School Ofsted: Good (2013), confirmed 2023 | 52% |
| 19 | Harris Academy Billericay Ofsted: Good (2018), confirmed 2024 | 50% |
| 20 | St John Payne Catholic School, Chelmsford Ofsted: Good (2016), confirmed 2024 | 50% |
| 21 | Mayflower High School Ofsted: Report card 2025: 2 strong, 5 expected | 50% |
| 22 | Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport Ofsted: Good (2023) | 50% |
| 23 | Manningtree High School Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) | 49% |
| 24 | St Martin's School Brentwood Ofsted: No overall grade (2024) | 49% |
| 25 | The Stanway School Ofsted: Good (2013), confirmed 2023 | 49% |
| 26 | Thurstable School Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) | 47% |
| 27 | The Boswells School Ofsted: Good (2013), confirmed 2023 | 47% |
| 28 | Sir Frederick Gibberd College Ofsted: No overall grade (2024) · 2 years of results | 46% |
| 29 | Debden Park High School Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) | 45% |
| 30 | Alec Hunter Academy Ofsted: Good (2017), confirmed 2022 | 45% |
| 31 | The Sandon School Ofsted: Requires improvement (2024) | 45% |
| 32 | Burnt Mill Academy Ofsted: Good (2023) | 45% |
| 33 | Helena Romanes School Ofsted: Good (2023) | 44% |
| 34 | Philip Morant School and College Ofsted: Good (2023) | 44% |
| 35 | Colne Community School Ofsted: Good (2023) | 44% |
| 36 | Roding Valley High School Ofsted: Good (2022) | 44% |
| 37 | The FitzWimarc School Ofsted: Good (2022) | 43% |
| 38 | Epping St John's CofE School Ofsted: Report card 2026: 6 expected, 1 needs attention | 43% |
| 39 | Honywood School Ofsted: Good (2022) | 42% |
| 40 | Chelmer Valley High School Ofsted: Good (2023) | 42% |
| 41 | St Mark's West Essex Catholic School Ofsted: Good (2023) | 41% |
| 42 | Plume School Ofsted: Good (2023) | 41% |
| 43 | De La Salle School Ofsted: Good (2018), confirmed 2024 | 41% |
| 44 | The Sweyne Park School Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) | 40% |
| 45 | Harris Academy Benfleet Ofsted: Good (2019), confirmed 2024 | 40% |
| 46 | Lift Maltings Ofsted: Report card 2026: 4 expected, 2 needs attention | 39% |
| 47 | Brentwood County High School Ofsted: Report card 2026: 1 strong, 6 expected | 39% |
| 48 | Shenfield High School Ofsted: Good (2014), confirmed 2024 | 39% |
| 49 | Forest Hall School Ofsted: Report card 2026: 2 strong, 2 expected, 2 needs attention | 39% |
| 50 | Paxman Academy Ofsted: Good (2024) · 2 years of results | 38% |
| 51 | The Thomas Lord Audley School Ofsted: Good (2016), confirmed 2025 | 38% |
| 52 | Lift New Rickstones Ofsted: Good (2018), confirmed 2023 | 38% |
| 53 | Harris Academy Kingswood Ofsted: Good (2018), confirmed 2023 | 38% |
| 54 | Notley High School and Braintree Sixth Form Ofsted: Report card 2026: 2 strong, 5 expected | 36% |
| 55 | William de Ferrers School Ofsted: No overall grade (2024) | 36% |
| 56 | The Ramsey Academy, Halstead Ofsted: No overall grade (2024) | 35% |
| 57 | Lift Tendring Ofsted: Good (2024) | 34% |
| 58 | Tabor Academy Ofsted: Requires improvement (2023) | 34% |
| 59 | St Helena School Ofsted: Good (2024) | 34% |
| 60 | Hedingham School and Sixth Form Ofsted: Good (2013), confirmed 2023 | 34% |
| 61 | Ormiston Rivers Academy Ofsted: Good (2013), confirmed 2023 | 34% |
| 62 | The Ongar Academy Ofsted: Good (2018), confirmed 2023 | 32% |
| 63 | Clacton County High School Ofsted: Good (2018), confirmed 2024 | 31% |
| 64 | King Harold Business and Enterprise Academy Ofsted: Report card 2026: 2 expected, 4 needs attention | 31% |
| 65 | Hylands School Ofsted: Report card 2026: 2 needs attention, 4 urgent improvement | 29% |
| 66 | The James Hornsby School Ofsted: Report card 2026: 1 strong, 4 expected, 1 needs attention | 28% |
| 67 | Harwich and Dovercourt High School Ofsted: Report card 2026: 5 needs attention, 1 urgent improvement | 28% |
| 68 | Harris Academy Wickford Ofsted: No overall grade (2024) | 27% |
| 69 | Colchester Academy Ofsted: Good (2023) | 25% |
| 70 | Passmores Academy Ofsted: Good (2018), confirmed 2024 | 25% |
| 71 | Stewards Academy - Science Specialist, Harlow Ofsted: Requires improvement (2024) | 24% |
| 72 | Mark Hall Academy Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) | 22% |
| 73 | The Basildon Upper Academy Ofsted: Good (2023) | 21% |
| 74 | The Deanes Ofsted: Good (2023) | 21% |
| 75 | The King Edmund School Ofsted: Good (2024) | 21% |
| 76 | The Cornelius Vermuyden School Ofsted: Inadequate (2023, before conversion) | 20% |
| 77 | Bmat Stem Academy Ofsted: Good (2023) | 20% |
| 78 | Castle View School Ofsted: Requires improvement (2023) | 18% |
| 79 | Lift Clacton Ofsted: Good (2024) | 18% |
Result: grade 5 or above in English and maths. Source: DfE school performance tables to 2025; Ofsted inspection data.
Page updated 26 September 2026.