Contested schools in Essex

These are the Essex schools that turned first-choice families away in at least one of the last three years — either because more families named them first than they had places, or because they refused families who named them first anyway. Figures shown are for 2026/27. Demand is not a forecast: an oversubscribed school turns more families away, which is not the same as their appeals succeeding more often.

Appeal success rates for Essex

Secondary schools (42)

Each has its own page with a 12-year demand history.

Contested secondary schools in Essex, 2026/27
School	Places	First choices	Per place
King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford	149	412	2.77
Colchester Royal Grammar School	128	280	2.19
Chelmsford County High School for Girls	179	358	2
Colchester County High School for Girls	190	322	1.69
Becket Keys Church of England Free School	176	274	1.56
The Beaulieu Park School	116	180	1.55
De La Salle School	147	215	1.46
The King John School	346	481	1.39
Woodlands School	287	399	1.39
West Hatch High School	248	328	1.32
The Gilberd School	306	401	1.31
The Thomas Lord Audley School	185	241	1.30
The James Hornsby School	202	259	1.28
St Benedict's Catholic College	173	213	1.23
Saffron Walden County High School	290	344	1.19
Davenant Foundation School	185	212	1.15
Clacton County High School	303	342	1.13
Moulsham High School	265	299	1.13
Alec Hunter Academy	202	227	1.12
Epping St John's Church of England School	175	194	1.11
Anglo European School	237	261	1.10
Great Baddow High School	245	267	1.09
St Mark's West Essex Catholic School	180	197	1.09
Honywood School	179	192	1.07
Debden Park High School	179	184	1.03
Passmores Academy	229	237	1.03
St John Payne Catholic School, Chelmsford	182	187	1.03
The Boswells School	241	247	1.02
Lift Greensward	266	266	1
Beauchamps High School	274	266	0.97
The FitzWimarc School	292	284	0.97
Plume School	288	274	0.95
Hedingham School and Sixth Form	189	177	0.94
Castle View School	237	218	0.92
St Martin's School Brentwood	316	289	0.91
Manningtree High School	202	179	0.89
Chelmer Valley High School	231	196	0.85
Forest Hall School	116	99	0.85
Shenfield High School	234	189	0.81
Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School	175	134	0.77
The Sandon School	213	164	0.77
The Trinity School	177	126	0.71

Primary schools (187)

Primary schools are listed here as figures rather than pages. Most refusals at the Reception intake are infant class size cases, where a panel can only act on three narrow grounds and fewer than one in ten appeals succeeds — so the honest thing to publish is the data, not a page inviting an appeal.

Contested primary schools in Essex, 2026/27
School	Places	First choices	Per place
Stisted Church of England Primary Academy	15	33	2.20
Westwood Academy	28	57	2.04
Kendall Church of England Primary School	30	57	1.90
St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, South Weald	60	110	1.83
Maylandsea Primary School	30	54	1.80
Hare Street Community Primary School and Nursery	60	98	1.63
Chipping Hill Primary School	60	95	1.58
Baynards Primary School	14	22	1.57
Quilters Infant School	60	94	1.57
Beehive Lane Community Primary School	29	45	1.55
Holy Trinity Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Halstead	29	45	1.55
Maltese Road Primary School	30	46	1.53
White Notley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School	15	23	1.53
Mountnessing Church of England Primary School	30	45	1.50
Perryfields Infant School	60	89	1.48
Shenfield St. Mary's Church of England Primary School	59	86	1.46
Chipping Ongar Primary School	30	43	1.43
Pemberley Academy	30	43	1.43
St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Burnham-on-Crouch	30	43	1.43
Newhall Primary Academy	60	85	1.42
All Saints Maldon Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School	45	63	1.40
Elm Hall Primary School	30	42	1.40
Hatfield Heath Primary School	30	42	1.40
Boreham Primary School	29	40	1.38
Steeple Bumpstead Primary School	29	40	1.38
Bocking Primary School	30	41	1.37
Danbury Park Community Primary School	30	41	1.37
Holland Haven Primary School	60	82	1.37
Kingsmoor Academy	30	41	1.37
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Colchester	30	41	1.37
The Beaulieu Park School	120	164	1.37
Great Easton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School	20	27	1.35
Lift Westerings	60	81	1.35
Beckers Green Primary School	44	59	1.34
Woodham Ley Primary School	29	39	1.34
Ivy Chimneys Primary School	45	59	1.31
Lift Hockley	45	59	1.31
The Cathedral Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chelmsford	45	59	1.31
Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School	30	39	1.30
St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Sible Hedingham	30	39	1.30
Highfields Primary School	45	58	1.29
Lee Chapel Primary School	119	153	1.29
Myland Community Primary School	45	58	1.29
Chancellor Park Primary School, Chelmsford	29	37	1.28
Kelvedon St Mary's Church of England Primary Academy	60	77	1.28
Lexden Primary School with Unit for Hearing Impaired Pupils	29	37	1.28
Great Dunmow Primary School	60	76	1.27
Kelvedon Hatch Community Primary School	15	19	—
Tendring Primary School	30	38	1.27
Theydon Bois Primary School	44	56	1.27
St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, Colchester	31	39	1.26
Chapel Hill Primary School & Nursery	60	74	1.23
Frinton-on-Sea Primary School	30	37	1.23
Kingston Primary School	30	37	1.23
St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Great Yeldham	22	27	1.23
St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Buckhurst Hill	60	74	1.23
Burnham-on-Crouch Primary School	60	73	1.22
Doddinghurst Infant School	60	73	1.22
Grange Primary School	45	55	1.22
Greensted Primary School & Nursery	60	73	1.22
Our Lady of Ransom Catholic Primary School	59	72	1.22
Matching Green Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School	14	17	—
Canvey Island Infant School and Nursery	59	71	1.20
Copford Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School	30	36	1.20
Great Bardfield Primary School	20	24	1.20
Henham and Ugley Primary and Nursery School	30	36	1.20
Home Farm Primary School	59	71	1.20
St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School	15	18	—
Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School	15	18	—
Engaines Primary School and Nursery	38	45	1.18
Great Wakering Primary Academy	60	71	1.18
Writtle Infant School	60	71	1.18
Alresford Primary School	30	35	1.17
Boxted St Peter's Church of England School	30	35	1.17
Highwoods Community Primary School	60	70	1.17
Lubbins Park Primary Academy	29	34	1.17
Ingatestone Infant School	44	51	1.16
Bentley St Paul's Church of England Primary School	28	32	1.14
Fawbert and Barnard's Primary School	30	34	1.13
Fingringhoe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School	15	17	—
Langenhoe Community Primary School	15	17	—
Purford Green Primary School	30	34	1.13
Rochford Primary and Nursery School	30	34	1.13
Wentworth Primary School	60	68	1.13
Blackmore Primary School	25	28	1.12
Wix and Wrabness Primary School	17	19	—
Hutton All Saints' Church of England Primary School	30	33	1.10
St Anne Line Catholic Infant School	60	66	1.10
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School	30	33	1.10
West Horndon Primary School	30	33	1.10
Chigwell Primary Academy	30	32	1.07
Hatfield Peverel Infant and Nursery School	60	64	1.07
High Beech CofE Primary School	15	16	—
St Francis Catholic Primary School, Maldon	30	32	1.07
Tiptree Heath Primary School	30	32	1.07
Willowbrook Primary School	30	32	1.07
Northlands Primary School and Nursery	90	95	1.06
Great Totham Primary School	59	62	1.05
Priory Primary School, Bicknacre	20	21	1.05
St Helen's Catholic Infant & Nursery School	60	63	1.05
St Peter's Catholic Primary School	60	63	1.05
The Phoenix Primary School	88	92	1.05
Cold Norton Primary School	23	24	1.04
The Robert Drake Primary School	45	47	1.04
Cann Hall Primary School	58	60	1.03
Clavering Primary School	30	31	1.03
Collingwood Primary School	30	31	1.03
Grove Wood Primary School	90	93	1.03
Harwich Community Primary School and Nursery	30	31	1.03
Kirby Primary Academy	30	31	1.03
St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester	30	31	1.03
Thomas Willingale Primary School and Nursery	60	62	1.03
White Court School	90	93	1.03
William Read Primary Academy	30	31	1.03
Notley Green Primary School	60	61	1.02
St Luke's Church of England Controlled Primary School	45	46	1.02
The Alderton Infant School and Nursery	60	61	1.02
Brightlingsea Primary School and Nursery	75	76	1.01
Abacus Primary School	59	59	1
Chappel CofE Controlled Primary School	13	13	—
Chrishall Holy Trinity and St Nicholas CofE (Aided) Primary School and Pre-School	15	15	—
Debden Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary Academy	14	14	—
Great Sampford Community Primary School	13	13	—
Katherine Semar Infant School	59	59	1
Lambourne Primary School	30	30	1
Messing Primary School	12	12	—
Parsons Heath Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School	29	29	1
R A Butler Infant School	87	87	1
Roseacres Primary School	25	25	1
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School	15	15	—
St Luke's Park Primary School	26	26	1
St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden	23	23	1
Elmwood Primary School	52	51	0.98
Hereward Primary School	60	58	0.97
Layer-de-la-Haye Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School	29	28	0.97
Lift Plumberow	88	85	0.97
Millfields Primary School	30	29	0.97
Milwards Primary School and Nursery	29	28	0.97
Moreton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School	30	29	0.97
South Benfleet Primary School	59	57	0.97
Great Chesterford Church of England Primary Academy	27	26	0.96
St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge	47	45	0.96
Stanway Fiveways Primary School	48	46	0.96
Upshire Primary Foundation School	26	25	0.96
Elmstead Primary School	20	19	—
Latton Green Primary Academy	21	20	0.95
Magna Carta Primary Academy	21	20	0.95
Thundersley Primary School	59	56	0.95
Howbridge Infant School	89	84	0.94
Staples Road Primary School	90	85	0.94
Cooks Spinney Primary Academy and Nursery	59	55	0.93
Dedham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School	29	27	0.93
Hamilton Primary School	57	53	0.93
Limebrook Primary School and Nursery	30	28	0.93
Little Waltham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School	30	28	0.93
Epping Primary School	60	55	0.92
Great Berry Primary School	60	55	0.92
Holly Trees Primary School	60	55	0.92
Kingswood Primary School and Nursery	60	55	0.92
Newlands Spring Primary and Nursery School	48	44	0.92
Riverside Primary School	56	51	0.91
Stock Church of England Primary School	23	21	0.91
Henry Moore Primary School	82	74	0.90
Ravens Academy	20	18	—
Brightside Primary School	89	78	0.88
St Clare's Catholic Primary School	42	37	0.88
Churchgate Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Harlow	30	26	0.87
Noak Bridge Primary School	30	26	0.87
Purleigh Community Primary School	30	26	0.87
St Alban's Catholic Academy	30	26	0.87
St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Halstead	30	26	0.87
St John Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Danbury	30	26	0.87
Great Leighs Primary School	25	21	0.84
Lyons Hall School	87	73	0.84
Lift Ashingdon	30	25	0.83
Barnes Farm Primary School	53	43	0.81
Colne Engaine Church of England Primary School	10	8	—
High Ongar Primary School	20	16	—
Larchwood Primary School	60	48	0.80
Rodings Primary School	30	24	0.80
Tolleshunt D'Arcy St Nicholas Primary Academy	25	20	0.80
Gosfield Community Primary School	18	14	—
East Hanningfield Church of England Primary Academy	17	13	—
Oaklands Infant School	54	40	0.74
Warley Primary School	60	43	0.72
The Bishops' Church of England and Roman Catholic Primary School	56	40	0.71
St Giles' Church of England Primary School	11	7	—

Department for Education, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, school-level file, 2026/27. Appeal outcomes are not published for individual schools — how we source and calculate the figures.