At a Glance
Assessment: CSSE
Fees Type: Free
Boarding: Day school
Admissions: Girls Only
Places per year: 192
Introduction
Colchester County High School for girls’ is a single gender selective grammar school based in Colchester, Essex. Founded in 1909, the school continues to provide both tradition and innovation to fulfil as excellent an education as when it was first established. The school consistently performs as one of the top state schools in the country, notwithstanding a focus on the wellbeing of students and a broad education.
As aforementioned, the school consistently performs academically. In 2019, 100% of their students achieved grades 5-9 (C-A* under the previous GCSE marking criteria). The schools ‘progress 8’ score is marked as ‘well above average’, meaning that students make a very good amount of progress at the school from KS2 to GCSE level. Further, the school boasts an equally academic adjoining Sixth Form. Offering a breadth of subjects at A-Level, Colchester County High School ensures there is breadth of opportunity for every individual student. Colchester County High School do not publish their results, but across 2019, 2020 and 2021 years, the girls’ at the school are praised for ‘exceptional’ results, and are a top performing Sixth Form nationally.
As a results, admission to Colchester County High School is competitive. The girls’ school selects students based on their performance in the CSSE 11+ Examination. This is the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex. It is a multiple choice test, made up of two papers. One testing in English and one in Mathematics. Each paper is designed to test a candidate beyond their ordinary primary education, with both formatting and question difficulty. Our resources with 11 Plus Hero help prepare your child for the CSSE 11+, providing them with a toolkit to have the best chance to succeed for admission into Colchester County High School For Girls. We also provide information to help guide yourself and your child through the admissions process, so that you and your child can confidently and competently apply to your chosen schools.
Colchester County School For Girls Key Information
Here, key information regarding Colchester County High School For Girls’ is regularly updated, to ensure you understand the school you’re choosing to apply for, can attend various open days and register for the school on time.
School Address
Full Address:
Colchester County High School for Girls, Norman WatColchester
Essex
CO3 3US
Contact Information
Parking in the school
There is some parking available on site at Colchester County High School For Girls, but it is limited, especially at busy times. Alternative parking venues can be found below.
Additional parking off site
Butt Road Parking, 107 Butt Road, Colchester CO3 3DG (Opening Times: Mon-Sun All Day)
Saint Mary’s Fields Parking, Saint Mary’s Fields, Colchester CO3 3AA (Opening Times: Mon-Sun All Day)
Additional parking off site
Butt Road Parking, 107 Butt Road, Colchester CO3 3DG (Opening Times: Mon-Sun All Day)
Saint Mary’s Fields Parking, Saint Mary’s Fields, Colchester CO3 3AA (Opening Times: Mon-Sun All Day)
Key Information for Colchester County High School for Girls
PAN for Year 7 intake (2021)
Total Student Capacity Years 7 to 13 (2022)
Total Students Years 7 to 13 (2018)
Percentage Capacity (2022)
Latest Ofsted Rating (2009)
Selection Test
Colchester County High School For Girls Key Dates and Application Information
In the application and admission process to Colchester County High School For Girls’, key deadlines are essential to keep to. At 11 Plus Hero, we understand this can be alot for prospective students and parents, especially alongside exam preparation. For this reason, we regularly update key dates below.
CSSE Entrance Test Registration Opening (Available Online)
Entrance Test Deadline
Open Days
Reasonable Adjustments Deadline
Letter posted to parents informing them of the test arrangements
11+ Entrance Examination Date
Results Date
School Application to Local Authority (school preferences must be finalised by this date)
School Offer
Application Documents for Colchester County High School for Girls
Below, we list links which contain specific information to Colchester County High School For Girls’ admission process, in addition to links containing information and tools regarding the process of the CSSE schools application process. These websites are essential to enlist your child for Colchester County High School and all CSSE schools.
The CSSE 11+ Entrance Test Format
The method of selective testing used by Colchester County High School For Girls is the CSSE 11+, used by the Essex Consortium of Grammar Schools. The assessment consists of two papers: English and Maths, made up of both multiple choice and open answer questions. The English test includes reading comprehension, vocabulary questions, literacy questions and creative writing, while the Maths questions test students on content similar to what they will have learnt at KS2, but pushing them a little further. The test is designed with difficult formatting and challenging questions. The unfamiliar format and its difficulty can seem daunting; for this reason, 11+ Hero is here to help. We understand and are accustomed to the content of the CSSE 11+ Entrance, the question methodology and how to score marks highly. We can provide a toolkit to your child, familiarising them with the test format and ensuring they have the best chance to succeed.
The CSSE 11+ Entrance Test: Overview
The test consists of two exam papers, each taking approximately 60 minutes in length. One paper tests candidates in Maths, and the other in English. The maths questions will cover content learned at KS2, pushing a candidate a little further. The English paper will assess a candidate’s competency in reading comprehension, verbal reasoning and vocabulary.
Paper One
Maths
Paper Two
English
The CSSE 11+ Entrance Test - 11 Plus Assessment Criteria
| Verbal Reasoning | Non-verbal Reasoning | English (some verbal reasoning is included) | Maths | Additional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XX | XX | ✔✔ | ✔✔ | n/an/a |
Pass Mark
Test scores are received in mid-October of the preceding year of entry; for example, for entry in 2023, test scores will be received by mid-October 2022. The scores are also ‘weighted’, meaning children are given different results depending on their age, so they are not penalised for it. There is no official pass mark for Colchester County High School For Girls. Instead, scores are ranked into an “Order of Merit List” in descending order, offers are made to the girls’ who have scored the most highly in the Entrance Test. Historical data shows that most schools in the CSSE consortium do not admit children with an aggregate score less than 303 in the tests.
Pass Mark
Test scores are received in mid-October of the preceding year of entry; for example, for entry in 2023, test scores will be received by mid-October 2022. The scores are also ‘weighted’, meaning children are given different results depending on their age, so they are not penalised for it. There is no official pass mark for Colchester County High School For Girls. Instead, scores are ranked into an “Order of Merit List” in descending order, offers are made to the girls’ who have scored the most highly in the Entrance Test. Historical data shows that most schools in the CSSE consortium do not admit children with an aggregate score less than 303 in the tests.
Catchment Area
There is no official catchment area for Colchester County High School, but the school’s oversubscription criteria uses straight line distance from a child’s house to the school to prioritise students. This means that living closer to the school does give you a better chance of admission.
Additional Eligibility
For admission to Colchester County High School For Girls, where the number of eligible pupils exceeds the number of places available, the school uses the following set of oversubscription criteria to make offers, prioritised in the order listed:
- Looked After Children or Previously Looked After Children who score 320 or above in the selection test;
- Up to 20 places will be allocated to the highest scoring candidates on the Order of Merit List (students who have selected Colchester County High School as a preference in order of ranked, standardised score) who are eligible for the pupil premium on the date that the 11+ test is taken and who achieve a standardised score of 320 or above;
- Places will then be allocated in descending score order from the Rank Order of Merit List, highest scoring first, until all places are filled.
Where there are a number of girls with equal aggregate scores for the last remaining places, preference will first be given to the girl eligible for Pupil Premium, if they have not already been offered a place, and then to the girl living closest to the school by straight line distance from the front door of the school.
For a full and detailed breakdown of the Colchester County High School admissions policy please visit the link on their website https://www.cchsg.com/year-7-admissions/
Colchester County High School for Girls FAQs
- There is no official ‘pass mark’ for entry into CCHS. Instead, girls’ scores are ranked into an “Order of Merit” list, with the highest scoring girls made offers.
- For more details see section ‘Pass Mark and catchment area’. LINK
- The Colchester County High School For Girls tests candidates using the CSSE 11+, used by all the schools in the Essex Consortium of Grammar Schools. It assesses a candidate’s competence in Maths and English, and is designed to push them past their primary level education.
- For more details see ‘Section 4: The CSSE 11+ Format’ LINK
- The CSSE website hosts familiarisation materials, allowing children to better understand the format to their exams.
- Please find these on the CSSE website at https://csse.org.uk/examination
- This familiarisation material should include Maths and English questions. Please note, the Maths questions will be of a similar standard to the difficult standard of questions on the KS2 curriculum.
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