Market Field School and College is a special academy in Colchester, Essex, for children and young people aged 5 to 19. It supports autism and moderate learning.
- Ages 5–19
- 519 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 5 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 519 (places for 225)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Ruth Whitehead (Headteacher)
- Part of
- Hope Learning Community
- Opened
- 1 December 2016
- Free school meals
- 44.5% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Essex
- School reference (URN)
- 143589
Needs it supports
2 needs: autism, moderate learning
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
Cognition and learning
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in Essex (9)
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Essex council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Rated Good, October 2019; school remains Good (October 2023)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in October 2019.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementGood
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, October 2023).
Contact and getting there
School Road, Elmstead Market, Colchester, CO7 7ET
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Cherry Tree Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 4.0 miles
- Kingswode Hoe School Special school · Ages 5–16 · Ofsted report card (2026) 4.9 miles
- The St Aubyn Centre Education Department Alternative provision · Ages 13–18 · Ofsted: Outstanding 5.0 miles
By need in Essex: Autism (18) · Severe learning (13) · Moderate learning (10) · Hearing (10) · Speech and language (9) · PMLD (8) · SEMH (7) · Dyslexia and SpLD (3) · Vision (3) · Multi-sensory (2)
Questions about Market Field School and College
How do I get a place at Market Field School and College?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult Market Field School and College. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Market Field School and College support?
Autism and moderate learning difficulty. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Market Field School and College take?
Aged 5 to 19, boys and girls.
What is Market Field School and College’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good by Ofsted in October 2023 at its last graded inspection. Newer inspections no longer give a single overall grade, so read the latest report for the full picture.
Where is Market Field School and College?
School Road, Elmstead Market, Colchester, CO7 7ET, in Essex.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.