Parsons Heath Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

  • Primary
  • Local authority maintained
  • Ages 4 to 11
Ofsted: Good

Templewood Road, Colchester, CO4 3EZOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Parsons Heath Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is a primary school in Colchester for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 604 schools in Essex. It ranks 63rd of 69 primary schools in Colchester. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in February 2018.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 7 February 2018, report published 1 March 2018

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Early years provision
Good
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 20 September 2023

The school is a warm and friendly community that lives out its values of belonging, kindness and resilience. Pupils are happy, and they feel safe. They know that if they are kind to someone, then they will be kind back. Pupils want to do the best they can. They respond well to the high aspirations that the school has of them even when they find work challenging. Pupils enjoy the learning they do in class. This captures their interest. One pupil, for example, enjoyed learning about rainforests so much that they went home and carried on finding out as much as they could online. This is an inclusive school where all pupils have access to a wide range of after-school clubs. These include yoga and 'relax and read' as well as a range of sporting opportunities. The school celebrates the different jobs that people in the community have. Pupils enjoy thinking about their future and what they might need to do to achieve these roles. Pupils behave well. They are clear of the expectations that the school has of them, and they work hard to meet these. Pupils are well supported by staff who know them well.

What the school should improve

  • In a few subjects, pupils learn facts and skills in isolation without linking back to their prior knowledge. This means that pupils cannot make links in their learning and, therefore, forget what is taught. The school needs to refine the curriculum so that pupils revisit the most important knowledge and commit this to memory.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

32 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths47%

47%, 15 percentage points below the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths6%

6%, 2 percentage points below the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score103

103, 3 below the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score102

102, 3 below the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score102

102, 3 below the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

197 pupils on roll, with places for 210

Eligible for free school meals40.1%

40.1%, 13.6 percentage points above the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language15.2%

15.2%, 6.4 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support26.9%

26.9%, 12.1 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan3%

3%, 3 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near Parsons Heath Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Roach Vale Primary School0.2 milesOfsted: Good57% met the expected standard
Hazelmere Junior School0.3 milesOfsted: Good38% met the expected standard
Hazelmere Infant School and Nursery0.3 milesOfsted judgements: Requires improvement to goodNot published
Friars Grove Primary School0.5 milesOfsted: Good59% met the expected standard
Willow Brook Primary School and Nursery0.5 milesOfsted: Good50% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Voluntary controlled school
Sector
Local authority maintained
Age range
4 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England
Nursery classes
No
Headteacher
Mrs C Newson
Address
Templewood Road, Colchester, CO4 3EZ
Local authority
Essex
URN
115088

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.