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Helena Romanes School

Parsonage Downs, Great Dunmow, Essex, CM6 2AU ·

Ofsted:Good· 2023
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At a glance

A state all-through academy for ages 4–18 in Great Dunmow. Rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection (October 2023). GCSE results are around the England average (Attainment 8: 46.6 vs 46.1, 2024/25). 155 families put it first for 216 places (September 2026 entry).

Ages
4–18
Pupils
1,265
Gender
Mixed
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Local authority
Essex
Academy trust
SAFFRON ACADEMY TRUST
Headteacher
Ms Catherine Davis
Opened
Apr 2012

Inspection

Ofsted (framework in use until November 2025)

Read reports
Graded inspection 10 Oct 2023
GoodOverall effectiveness
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Early years
Good
Sixth form
Good

Safeguarding effective: Yes

Inspection reports describe the school on the day. Read the full report and visit the school before deciding.

Exam results

Department for Education performance tables

GCSE results, 2024/25 · 212 pupils

Attainment 8
46.6
England 46.1
Grade 5+ Eng & maths
49.5%
England 45.4%
Grade 4+ Eng & maths
70.3%
England 64.8%
Progress 8
-0.38
2023/24 · CI -0.59 to -0.17
This school
46.6
Essex
45.1
England
46.1

Attainment 8 over time

Progress 8 isn't published for 2024/25 because those pupils had no KS2 test results (tests were cancelled in 2020). Exams were not held in 2019/20 or 2020/21.

Admissions

Demand for places and how places are allocated

Search for your address on the map to see straight-line distances to schools.

Year 7 entry, September 2026 (national offer day data)

Offers made
199
1st preferences
142
All applications
355
1st prefs per place
0.71
Fewer first choices than places

142 of 142 first-preference applicants were offered a place (100%).

Catchment area

We don't have an official catchment boundary for this school. Many schools don't have one, and few councils publish boundaries as open data. We don't estimate catchments. Check the school's admissions policy or the council's admissions booklet.

Last distance offered

Not published nationally. Many councils publish the furthest distance offered for each school in their annual allocation reports. Past distances vary year to year with demand and sibling numbers, so they are not a guarantee.

How places are allocated: you apply through your home council. When a school has more applicants than places, it applies its published oversubscription criteria in order. These usually start with looked-after children, then siblings, then catchment or distance; faith schools may prioritise church attendance. Children with an EHC plan naming the school are admitted first. Apply on GOV.UK

Pupils

School census 2024/25

Pupils
1,309
Capacity
1,593
79% full
Girls / boys
50/50
Mixed
  • Eligible for free school meals (last 6 years)19.3%
  • English as an additional language4.7%
  • SEN support15.6%
  • Education, Health and Care plan1.4%
  • The black tick shows the median for state-funded all-through schools in England.
Helena Romanes School, Great Dunmow · SchoolPatch