The area has a range of excellent options when it comes to schools and further education making it an ideal choice for families with children at every stage of their education.
Education
In Heybridge itself, the local primary school is well regarded with an Ofsted ‘good’ rating, and pre-schoolers are catered for at the new private day care nursery. As part of the masterplan for Westcombe Park, space has been set aside for the future provision of a new primary school and nursery to be built by Essex County Council.
Over in Maldon there are several further primary schools including All Saints Maldon CofE School, St Francis Catholic Primary School and Maldon Primary School all with a ‘good’ Ofsted rating. The local catchment secondary school is Plume Academy, also rated ‘good’ by Ofsted. It is the largest school in the Mid-Essex District, split across two sites and includes Plume College for sixth form.
This location is also within catchment for the high-performing grammar schools in Chelmsford and Colchester, while the University of Essex has campuses in Colchester and Southend. Chelmsford County High School for Girls and its boys’ counterpart King Edward VI Grammar School are some of the top ranked schools in the whole of England.
For those looking at independent schooling, primary options include Maldon Court Preparatory School and Heathcote Preparatory School in Danbury. Colchester High School is a coeducational independent school from early years until 16, while New Hall School is a prestigious day and boarding school in Chelmsford offering all through education using the ‘diamond model’ where classes are co-educational at primary age and sixth form, but single sex from 11-16.
Going further
Many students tend to go further afield for university but for those that want to remain close to home, the University of Essex has its main campus in Colchester, set in 200 acres of parkland, as well as campuses in Southend-on-Sea and Loughton. Other centres of further education in nearby Chelmsford City are the Anglia Ruskin University and Writtle University College