How far Essex schools admitted from
For every oversubscribed school, Essex publishes how far away the last child offered a place lived. This is that figure for 188 schools, tightest first. A short distance means a school that fills up close to its gates; a long one means places went further afield.
188schools with a published figure
1.14 mithe middle school's distance
86filled within a mile
The tightest is St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior School at 0.1 miles in 2025/26; the most far-reaching, Steeple Bumpstead Primary School, admitted from 42.19 miles.
Primary schools
| School | Ofsted | Admitted from | Round | How full |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior School Chelmsford | No current grade | 0.1 mi | 2025/26 | 96% |
| Purford Green Primary School Harlow | No current grade | 0.14 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| St Clare's Catholic Primary School Clacton-on-Sea | No current grade | 0.14 mi | 2025/26 | 115% |
| Noak Bridge Primary School Basildon | No current grade | 0.15 mi | 2025/26 | 99% |
| Kingston Primary School Thundersley | Outstanding | 0.16 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| The Cathedral Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chelmsford | Good | 0.17 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| Waterman Primary School Rochford | Requires improvement | 0.18 mi | 2025/26 | 64% |
| St Luke's Park Primary School Wickford | No current grade | 0.19 mi | 2025/26 | 84% |
| St Anne Line Catholic Infant School Basildon | No current grade | 0.21 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| Chapel Hill Primary School & Nursery Basildon | No current grade | 0.23 mi | 2025/26 | 85% |
| Boreham Primary School Chelmsford | Good | 0.26 mi | 2025/26 | 101% |
| Newhall Primary Academy Harlow | Good | 0.27 mi | 2025/26 | 118% |
| Holy Trinity Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Halstead | No current grade | 0.29 mi | 2025/26 | 82% |
| St Helen's Catholic Infant & Nursery School Brentwood | Good | 0.31 mi | 2025/26 | 84% |
| Elmwood Primary School Chelmsford | No current grade | 0.32 mi | 2025/26 | 99% |
| Barnes Farm Primary School Chelmsford | No current grade | 0.33 mi | 2025/26 | 86% |
| Chancellor Park Primary School, Chelmsford | Outstanding | 0.34 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| Great Leighs Primary School Chelmsford | No current grade | 0.34 mi | 2025/26 | 94% |
| Latton Green Primary Academy Harlow | No current grade | 0.34 mi | 2025/26 | 95% |
| St Luke's Catholic Academy Harlow | Good | 0.38 mi | 2025/26 | 110% |
| Felsted Primary School Dunmow | Good | 0.39 mi | 2025/26 | 94% |
| Limebrook Primary School and Nursery Maldon | No current grade | 0.39 mi | 2025/26 | 33% |
| St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Burnham-on-Crouch | No current grade | 0.39 mi | 2025/26 | 102% |
| Elm Hall Primary School Witham | Good | 0.41 mi | 2025/26 | 102% |
| Hatfield Peverel St Andrew's Junior School Chelmsford | No current grade | 0.42 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| St Margaret's Church of England Academy, Bowers Gifford Basildon | No current grade | 0.42 mi | 2025/26 | 87% |
| St Teresa's Catholic Primary School Rochford | Good | 0.42 mi | 2025/26 | 93% |
| Kendall Church of England Primary School Colchester | No current grade | 0.44 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| St John Fisher Catholic Primary School Loughton | No current grade | 0.44 mi | 2025/26 | 69% |
| Maltese Road Primary School Chelmsford | No current grade | 0.45 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| Newlands Spring Primary and Nursery School Chelmsford | Good | 0.45 mi | 2025/26 | 106% |
| Perryfields Infant School Chelmsford | No current grade | 0.45 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| St Luke's Church of England Controlled Primary School Colchester | No current grade | 0.46 mi | 2025/26 | 89% |
| Rochford Primary and Nursery School Rochford | No current grade | 0.47 mi | 2025/26 | 96% |
| The Phoenix Primary School Basildon | No current grade | 0.48 mi | 2025/26 | 96% |
| Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School Chelmsford | No current grade | 0.49 mi | 2025/26 | 99% |
| Warley Primary School Brentwood | No current grade | 0.49 mi | 2025/26 | 101% |
| Hare Street Community Primary School and Nursery Harlow | Outstanding | 0.5 mi | 2025/26 | 108% |
| Kingswood Primary School and Nursery Basildon | No current grade | 0.5 mi | 2025/26 | 106% |
| Myland Community Primary School Colchester | No current grade | 0.5 mi | 2025/26 | 97% |
| Magna Carta Primary Academy Stansted Mountfitchet | No current grade | 0.51 mi | 2025/26 | 92% |
| Milwards Primary School and Nursery Harlow | Good | 0.51 mi | 2025/26 | 94% |
| St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge Colchester | No current grade | 0.51 mi | 2025/26 | 106% |
| Chipping Hill Primary School Witham | No current grade | 0.52 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| Baynards Primary School Colchester | Good | 0.53 mi | 2025/26 | 93% |
| St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Colchester | No current grade | 0.53 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| Wentworth Primary School Maldon | No current grade | 0.53 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| Holly Trees Primary School Brentwood | No current grade | 0.59 mi | 2025/26 | 99% |
| Lee Chapel Primary School Basildon | Outstanding | 0.59 mi | 2025/26 | 111% |
| Pemberley Academy Harlow | No current grade | 0.59 mi | 2025/26 | 99% |
| Quilters Infant School Billericay | No current grade | 0.59 mi | 2025/26 | 104% |
| St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Buckhurst Hill Buckhurst Hill | No current grade | 0.59 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| Parsons Heath Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Colchester | No current grade | 0.6 mi | 2025/26 | 94% |
| John Ray Junior School Braintree | Good | 0.61 mi | 2025/26 | 102% |
| Highwood Primary School Chelmsford | Good | 0.62 mi | 2025/26 | 94% |
| Hatfield Peverel Infant and Nursery School Chelmsford | No current grade | 0.64 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| Oaklands Infant School Chelmsford | No current grade | 0.66 mi | 2025/26 | 93% |
| Abacus Primary School Wickford | No current grade | 0.67 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| Churchgate Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Harlow | Good | 0.67 mi | 2025/26 | 91% |
| Fawbert and Barnard's Primary School Old Harlow | No current grade | 0.67 mi | 2025/26 | 99% |
| Great Berry Primary School Basildon | Good | 0.67 mi | 2025/26 | 101% |
| Montgomerie Primary School Benfleet | No current grade | 0.67 mi | 2025/26 | 96% |
| R A Butler Junior School Saffron Walden | Outstanding | 0.67 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| Moulsham Infant School Chelmsford | No current grade | 0.69 mi | 2025/26 | 74% |
| Hereward Primary School Loughton | Outstanding | 0.71 mi | 2025/26 | 106% |
| Great Dunmow Primary School Great Dunmow | No current grade | 0.72 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, South Weald Brentwood | Outstanding | 0.73 mi | 2025/26 | 129% |
| Staples Road Primary School Loughton | No current grade | 0.73 mi | 2025/26 | 99% |
| St John Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Danbury Chelmsford | No current grade | 0.74 mi | 2025/26 | 97% |
| Upshire Primary Foundation School WALTHAM ABBEY | No current grade | 0.74 mi | 2025/26 | 94% |
| Epping Primary School Epping | Good | 0.76 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| Burnham-on-Crouch Primary School Burnham-on-Crouch | No current grade | 0.77 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| Millfields Primary School Colchester | No current grade | 0.78 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| Chipping Ongar Primary School Ongar | Good | 0.82 mi | 2025/26 | 99% |
| R A Butler Infant School Saffron Walden | No current grade | 0.82 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| Buckhurst Hill Community Primary School Buckhurst Hill | No current grade | 0.83 mi | 2025/26 | 93% |
| South Benfleet Primary School Benfleet | No current grade | 0.85 mi | 2025/26 | 99% |
| Cann Hall Primary School Clacton-on-Sea | Good | 0.86 mi | 2025/26 | 99% |
| Beehive Lane Community Primary School Chelmsford | No current grade | 0.9 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| Great Wakering Primary Academy Southend-on-Sea | No current grade | 0.91 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| Beckers Green Primary School Braintree | No current grade | 0.94 mi | 2025/26 | 87% |
| Home Farm Primary School Colchester | No current grade | 0.94 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| Gosfield Community Primary School Halstead | No current grade | 0.95 mi | 2025/26 | 96% |
| Maylandsea Primary School Chelmsford | No current grade | 0.95 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| The Willows Primary School Basildon | No current grade | 0.95 mi | 2025/26 | 124% |
| Highfields Primary School Manningtree | No current grade | 0.97 mi | 2025/26 | 102% |
| St Francis Catholic Primary School, Braintree | Good | 1.01 mi | 2025/26 | 97% |
| Hamilton Primary School Colchester | No current grade | 1.02 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| The Bishops' Church of England and Roman Catholic Primary School Chelmsford | No current grade | 1.05 mi | 2025/26 | 104% |
| Kirby Primary Academy Frinton-on-Sea | No current grade | 1.07 mi | 2025/26 | 99% |
| Quilters Junior School Billericay | No current grade | 1.09 mi | 2025/26 | 102% |
| All Saints Maldon Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Maldon | No current grade | 1.12 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| Canvey Island Infant School and Nursery Canvey Island | No current grade | 1.12 mi | 2025/26 | 103% |
| Perryfields Junior School Chelmsford | Outstanding | 1.13 mi | 2025/26 | 111% |
| Elmstead Primary School Colchester | No current grade | 1.14 mi | 2025/26 | 101% |
| Writtle Infant School Chelmsford | No current grade | 1.16 mi | 2025/26 | 99% |
| Notley Green Primary School Braintree | No current grade | 1.19 mi | 2025/26 | 95% |
| East Hanningfield Church of England Primary Academy Chelmsford | No current grade | 1.2 mi | 2025/26 | 92% |
| Merrylands Primary School Basildon | No current grade | 1.33 mi | 2025/26 | 86% |
| Dedham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Colchester | Good | 1.37 mi | 2025/26 | 96% |
| St Peter's Catholic Primary School Billericay | Outstanding | 1.38 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| Dunmow St Mary's Primary School Dunmow | Good | 1.45 mi | 2025/26 | 109% |
| Great Easton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Dunmow | Good | 1.51 mi | 2025/26 | 92% |
| Runwell Community Primary School Wickford | No current grade | 1.51 mi | 2025/26 | 86% |
| Grove Wood Primary School Rayleigh | No current grade | 1.52 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| Holy Family Catholic Primary School Witham | Good | 1.54 mi | 2025/26 | 96% |
| Ingrave Johnstone Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Brentwood | No current grade | 1.55 mi | 2025/26 | 96% |
| Lift Ashingdon Rochford | Good | 1.57 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| Willowbrook Primary School Brentwood | No current grade | 1.67 mi | 2025/26 | 99% |
| Downham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Billericay | No current grade | 1.68 mi | 2025/26 | 82% |
| Woodham Ley Primary School Benfleet | Good | 1.7 mi | 2025/26 | 116% |
| Layer-de-la-Haye Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Colchester | No current grade | 1.77 mi | 2025/26 | 97% |
| Katherine Semar Infant School Saffron Walden | No current grade | 1.79 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| Oakfield Primary School Wickford | Good | 1.83 mi | 2025/26 | 93% |
| Messing Primary School Colchester | No current grade | 1.87 mi | 2025/26 | 106% |
| Theydon Bois Primary School Epping | No current grade | 1.87 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| Nazeing Primary School Waltham Abbey | No current grade | 1.95 mi | 2025/26 | 79% |
| Potter Street Academy Harlow | No current grade | 2.04 mi | 2025/26 | 80% |
| North Primary School and Nursery Colchester | No current grade | 2.09 mi | 2025/26 | 109% |
| Brightside Primary School Billericay | No current grade | 2.11 mi | 2025/26 | 99% |
| Coopersale and Theydon Garnon Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Epping | No current grade | 2.13 mi | 2025/26 | 89% |
| St Anne Line Catholic Junior School Basildon | No current grade | 2.14 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| Our Lady of Ransom Catholic Primary School Rayleigh | No current grade | 2.15 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| Danbury Park Community Primary School Danbury | Good | 2.17 mi | 2025/26 | 97% |
| Terling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Chelmsford | Good | 2.23 mi | 2025/26 | 88% |
| Henry Moore Primary School Harlow | No current grade | 2.3 mi | 2025/26 | 97% |
| White Bridge Primary School Loughton | Good | 2.35 mi | 2025/26 | 96% |
| Sheering Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Bishop's Stortford | No current grade | 2.36 mi | 2025/26 | 59% |
| Great Totham Primary School Maldon | No current grade | 2.37 mi | 2025/26 | 99% |
| Old Heath Community Primary School Colchester | No current grade | 2.38 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| Buttsbury Primary School Billericay | Outstanding | 2.4 mi | 2025/26 | 99% |
| St Giles' Church of England Primary School Halstead | Good | 2.4 mi | 2025/26 | 87% |
| Lawford Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Manningtree | Good | 2.42 mi | 2025/26 | 97% |
| Lawford Mead Primary & Nursery Chelmsford | Good | 2.42 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| Moreton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Ongar | Good | 2.42 mi | 2025/26 | 93% |
| Collingwood Primary School CHELMSFORD | No current grade | 2.5 mi | 2025/26 | 66% |
| Cold Norton Primary School Chelmsford | Good | 2.54 mi | 2025/26 | 107% |
| Heathlands Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, West Bergholt Colchester | No current grade | 2.57 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| Holland Haven Primary School Clacton-on-Sea | No current grade | 2.58 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| Chigwell Primary Academy Chigwell | No current grade | 2.73 mi | 2025/26 | 74% |
| Lexden Primary School with Unit for Hearing Impaired Pupils Colchester | No current grade | 2.88 mi | 2025/26 | 112% |
| Boxted St Peter's Church of England School Colchester | Good | 2.93 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Colchester | Good | 3.06 mi | 2025/26 | 89% |
| Blackmore Primary School Ingatestone | Good | 3.15 mi | 2025/26 | 95% |
| West Horndon Primary School Brentwood | Good | 3.16 mi | 2025/26 | 95% |
| Little Waltham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Chelmsford | Good | 3.2 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| Purleigh Community Primary School Chelmsford | Good | 3.21 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| Lambourne Primary School Romford | No current grade | 3.24 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| St George's Church of England Primary School, Great Bromley Colchester | No current grade | 3.39 mi | 2025/26 | 92% |
| Radwinter Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Saffron Walden | Good | 3.52 mi | 2025/26 | 131% |
| Lyons Hall School Braintree | Good | 3.53 mi | 2025/26 | 89% |
| Millhouse Primary School Basildon | No current grade | 3.53 mi | 2025/26 | 93% |
| Writtle Junior School Chelmsford | No current grade | 3.56 mi | 2025/26 | 99% |
| St John the Baptist Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Pebmarsh Halstead | No current grade | 3.59 mi | 2025/26 | 92% |
| St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Basildon | No current grade | 3.66 mi | 2025/26 | 99% |
| Shalford Primary School Braintree | Good | 3.73 mi | 2025/26 | 70% |
| Lakelands Primary School Colchester | Outstanding | 3.79 mi | 2025/26 | 81% |
| Rickling Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Saffron Walden | No current grade | 3.87 mi | 2025/26 | 93% |
| St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, Colchester | Outstanding | 3.87 mi | 2025/26 | 100% |
| de Vere Primary School Halstead | Good | 3.87 mi | 2025/26 | 97% |
| The Alderton Infant School and Nursery Loughton | Good | 3.89 mi | 2025/26 | 115% |
| Howbridge Infant School Witham | Good | 4.0 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| Birchanger Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Bishop's Stortford | No current grade | 4.28 mi | 2025/26 | 79% |
| St Margaret's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Toppesfield Halstead | Good | 4.3 mi | 2025/26 | 64% |
| Great Waltham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Chelmsford | No current grade | 4.31 mi | 2025/26 | 116% |
| Cressing Primary School Braintree | No current grade | 4.51 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| Great Bardfield Primary School Braintree | No current grade | 4.56 mi | 2025/26 | 65% |
| Rodings Primary School Dunmow | No current grade | 4.58 mi | 2025/26 | 109% |
| Wix and Wrabness Primary School Manningtree | Good | 4.84 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Coggeshall Colchester | No current grade | 5.33 mi | 2025/26 | 102% |
| White Notley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Witham | No current grade | 5.45 mi | 2025/26 | 103% |
| Thundersley Primary School Benfleet | Good | 5.46 mi | 2025/26 | 101% |
| St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Sible Hedingham Halstead | No current grade | 5.54 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| Tendring Primary School Clacton-on-Sea | No current grade | 5.9 mi | 2025/26 | 99% |
| St Andrew's Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Sudbury | No current grade | 6.25 mi | 2025/26 | 53% |
| Priory Primary School, Bicknacre Chelmsford | Requires improvement | 6.45 mi | 2025/26 | 73% |
| Katherine Semar Junior School Saffron Walden | No current grade | 6.91 mi | 2025/26 | 95% |
| Ingatestone Infant School Ingatestone | Good | 7.3 mi | 2025/26 | 94% |
| Hutton All Saints' Church of England Primary School Brentwood | No current grade | 8.45 mi | 2025/26 | 87% |
| St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Saffron Walden | No current grade | 10.34 mi | 2025/26 | 107% |
| Alresford Primary School Colchester | No current grade | 10.77 mi | 2025/26 | 90% |
| Ivy Chimneys Primary School Epping | No current grade | 11.5 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| Holland Park Primary School Clacton-on-Sea | Good | 11.65 mi | 2025/26 | 98% |
| Elsenham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Bishop's Stortford | No current grade | 13.42 mi | 2025/26 | 96% |
| Vange Primary School and Nursery Basildon | Good | 13.93 mi | 2025/26 | 92% |
| St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Braintree | No current grade | 15.9 mi | 2025/26 | 92% |
| Great Bradfords Junior School Braintree | No current grade | 25.02 mi | 2025/26 | 92% |
| Steeple Bumpstead Primary School Haverhill | Good | 42.19 mi | 2025/26 | 90% |
Reading the numbers
These are not catchment areas: most English schools have none. Each figure is the distance from the school to the home of the furthest child who was offered a place under the distance criterion in that round, as Essex measures it, which is usually a straight line from a fixed point at the home to one at the school. Looked-after children, siblings and, at faith schools, faith criteria come before distance, so a school can fill before distance is reached at all. The figure moves every year with the number of applications. How the whole process works →
Checking an address against these
Each school's page has a checker that measures a postcode against that school's distance. The full property report measures every nearby school at once, alongside sold prices, flood risk and the rest of the house.
Admission distances published by Essex. School details and grades from the Department for Education's register and Ofsted. If a figure looks wrong, tell us and it goes on the accuracy log.