St Helena School
Sheepen Road, Colchester, CO3 3LEOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St Helena School is a secondary school in Colchester for ages 11 to 16. It is one of the 604 schools in Essex. It ranks 8th of 14 secondary schools in Colchester. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in January 2024.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 30 January 2024, report published 14 March 2024
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Outstanding
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 30 January 2024
St Helena School is a place where everyone wants the very best for pupils. The school's values of aspire, believe and achieve sit behind the decisions the school makes for everyone to succeed. Pupils value the warm and positive relationships they develop with their teachers. This helps them feel safe. Pupils know there is always someone they can speak to if they have concerns. Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour and the attitudes they show towards their learning. This creates a calm and purposeful atmosphere across the school. Pupils recognise that behaviour has improved a great deal over recent years. Pupils say that bullying can happen. However, the school takes this seriously and acts quickly to resolve any issues. This is a school where everyone is welcome. Pupils treat visitors with warmth and curiosity. Pupils of all backgrounds are accepted into the school community. Pupils here are kind and respectful. The school has a very wide offer of different activites and opportunities for pupils to develop their interests. This includes a range of clubs such as chess club, art club and a comprehensive sporting programme. The school's popular robotics club has competed successfully at national and international events.
What the school should improve
- Occasionally, teachers do not always check that pupils have the knowledge needed to understand new learning or to complete activities. This means that pupils can miss out on learning important knowledge or unsuccessfully practise the skills that teachers had intended. The school should ensure that all teachers check that pupils have the prior knowledge needed for new learning or to complete activities.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
204 pupils in the year group
Pupil numbers and mix
986 pupils on roll, with places for 1,000
Schools near St Helena School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Sixth Form College Colchester | 0.4 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
| Colchester Royal Grammar School | 0.6 miles | Report card: Strong standard to exceptional | Attainment 8: 82.1 |
| Colchester Prep & High School | 0.6 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 61.0 |
| St Mary's School for Girls | 0.6 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 66.5 |
| Colchester County High School for Girls | 0.9 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | Attainment 8: 80.6 |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- THE SIGMA TRUST
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- No
- Headteacher
- Mrs Serena Kay
- Phone
- 01206572253
- Address
- Sheepen Road, Colchester, CO3 3LE
- Local authority
- Essex
- URN
- 137944
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.