Paxman Academy Review 2026: A young Colchester secondary with a STEM lean and a community-minded culture

A newer secondary in Colchester, Paxman Academy has grown quickly since opening in September 2019, and it now operates at close to full capacity for Years 7 to 11.

The current headteacher is Debbie Kershaw, and the school sits within The Sigma Trust, which gives it access to trust-wide expertise while still feeling locally rooted.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (6 to 7 February 2024, published 14 March 2024) judged the school Good across the main judgement areas.

Academically, the latest GCSE indicators place Paxman broadly in line with the middle band of schools in England. Ranked 2,155th in England and 13th in Colchester for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), it is not positioned as a results outlier, but it is clearly structured around high expectations, attendance discipline, and a curriculum shaped to keep open both academic and applied routes.

Paxman’s identity is inseparable from its history as a replacement school. It was built on the site of the former Alderman Blaxill secondary school, and the academy explicitly links its name to Colchester’s industrial heritage via the engineering company that once operated in the town. The site also keeps the older school name visible through the Alderman Blaxill Sports Centre, referenced as part of the incorporated community facilities.

As a newer school, tradition is not the organising principle. Instead, the tone comes from systems and routines designed to stabilise learning and create belonging. The school’s stated mission is “Building Brighter Futures”, and it frames day-to-day expectations through ASPIRE values (Aspirational, Successful, Persevere, Integrity, Respectful, Empathic).

External evidence points to a school that takes student voice and participation seriously. Pupils are described as setting up their own clubs to match niche interests, and the report highlights student-led leadership roles, charity activity, and peer mentoring for those who want support with studies.

The same evidence also suggests the school works deliberately at the community layer, not just the classroom layer. Specific examples include community events aimed at military families (cinema evenings and “inflatables afternoons”) and a Friday cooking initiative so some pupils can take a family meal home. Those details matter because they show intent, the school is trying to make practical support visible, not hidden behind policy language.

Paxman’s current results profile is best understood as “typical for England, with an established structure and a still-maturing outcomes story”. That is consistent with a school that opened in 2019 and only recently reached full roll.

GCSE outcomes (headline indicators)

• Attainment 8: 43.4

• Progress 8: -0.17

• EBacc average point score: 3.93

• Percentage achieving grade 5 or above in the EBacc elements: 17.4%

In FindMySchool’s GCSE ranking, Paxman is 2,155th in England and 13th in Colchester for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). With an England percentile of 0.4692, results sit in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), which is a fair shorthand for “broadly typical” rather than “high performing” or “low performing”.

Two practical implications follow for families.

First, the academic picture is not one where outcomes alone will do the persuasion. Parents who are choosing primarily on top-end exam performance will usually compare several local options carefully using FindMySchool’s local hub comparison tools.

Second, the Progress 8 figure being slightly negative means the school will often focus on consistent teaching routines, attendance, and targeted intervention to protect outcomes. That can suit students who like clarity and structure, and it can also feel demanding for those who struggle with routine, unless support is well tuned.

Paxman’s curriculum intent is unusually explicit for a mainstream secondary. It states a sustained STEM focus, and it describes the curriculum as the main mechanism for raising aspirations, building confidence, and preparing students for adult responsibilities.

The structure is conventional and easy for parents to understand:

• Key Stage 3 runs for three years, with all subjects taught across that phase.

• Options are selected during Year 9, with GCSE courses starting at the beginning of Year 10.

What makes the curriculum narrative distinctive is its insistence on breadth plus pathway choice. It highlights the English Baccalaureate subjects as a core focus (including Spanish and computing alongside the more typical EBacc list), while also protecting time for arts and technology subjects such as art, music, drama and technology.

At Key Stage 4, the school describes a widened offer that includes vocationally oriented qualifications, specifically naming Health and Social Care, Business and Enterprise, and Hospitality and Catering. For many families, that is a meaningful signal. It suggests Paxman is planning for different routes after Year 11, not treating every pupil as if A-levels are the only respectable next step.

Literacy and numeracy are positioned as whole-school priorities, with particular emphasis on vocabulary, reading and spoken communication (oracy). The stated approach includes shared reading and discussion during tutor time, and a deliberate use of topical non-fiction and current affairs as part of that routine.

Paxman is an 11 to 16 school, so the key transition point is post-16. The school’s own curriculum statement frames Year 9 options and Key Stage 4 study as preparation for informed post-16 decisions, supported by careers guidance and employer engagement.

Because the school does not publish an on-page, number-driven destinations breakdown (and there is no sixth form here), parents should treat the post-16 decision as a separate selection process. In practice, this usually means comparing local sixth-form colleges, school sixth forms, and apprenticeship pathways, then working backwards into GCSE choices that keep those pathways open.

The curriculum statement also references the Provider Access Legislation expectation (technical education and apprenticeships engagement), and the wider careers area links out to local careers hub resources. The practical takeaway is that Paxman is signalling parity of esteem between academic and technical routes, at least at policy level.

Paxman’s Year 7 intake is coordinated by Essex County Council. Applications are made through the council’s Common Application Form rather than directly to the school, with up to six preferences allowed.

For September 2026 entry, Essex confirms that applications were open from 12 September 2025 and closed on the statutory national deadline of 31 October 2025, with offers issued on 2 March 2026.

Two admissions points are particularly worth understanding:

1. Oversubscription is real. The latest published demand data available for Paxman shows 492 applications for 171 offers, which equates to roughly 2.9 applications per offer. That level of demand changes how families should plan, you need realistic back-up preferences, and you should understand the tie-break rules rather than relying on informal assumptions.

2. A music aptitude route exists. Essex’s 2026 to 2027 admissions policy directory states that up to 32 Year 7 places (10% of the intake) are allocated under a music aptitude criterion for children resident in the Colchester or Tendring area, with testing arranged so outcomes are known ahead of 31 October 2025. The same entry also states a supplementary information form deadline of 25 September 2025 for those applying under music aptitude (or Service Pupil Premium) criteria.

If you are considering the aptitude route, the planning implication is simple: it has its own timeline and paperwork. Families should read both the Essex coordinated scheme timetable and the school’s admissions guidance early in Year 6, then diarise deadlines before the autumn term becomes busy.

A practical tip: use FindMySchool’s map-based tools to understand how your home location interacts with local admissions rules. Even where criteria are not purely distance-driven, proximity often becomes a tie-breaker once priority groups are applied.

Pastoral strength at Paxman shows up most clearly through safeguarding clarity and attendance discipline.

The published safeguarding information names a Designated Safeguarding Lead and multiple deputies, which is what parents should expect in a secondary school, and it indicates clear lines of responsibility rather than a single point of failure.

Attendance expectations are similarly explicit. The school sets out a clear morning registration time (8.30am), a gate closure time (8.25am for the main student entry gate), and the time registers close (9.05am). For some children, that kind of clarity reduces anxiety, because the day begins in a predictable way. For others, particularly those with travel complexity or additional needs, it can require careful routine-building at home.

There is also an explicit link made between attendance, academic performance, mental health and belonging, with a stated expectation that students aim for at least 95% attendance. As with any school, the important question for families is how flexibly the school supports genuine barriers such as medical issues or special educational needs. The published information indicates the school recognises these barriers and works with families on individual cases, and it references an external attendance support partner used across local schools.

The best evidence of Paxman’s co-curricular character is that pupils are encouraged to initiate activity rather than only consume what staff provide. The Ofsted report gives concrete examples, including pupils establishing clubs such as Rubik’s Cube and Warhammer, then inviting others in. That matters because it signals a school willing to give students ownership of culture, not just participation slots.

The curriculum statement reinforces the idea that enrichment is planned and sequenced, not occasional. Named examples include Activities Week, World Book Day, and the Paxman Speak Up Challenge, alongside sports and performing arts opportunities. In practice, schools that timetable enrichment well tend to see stronger participation from students who do not naturally join “traditional” clubs, because the opportunity is built into the rhythm of the year.

Leadership pathways are also described as a deliberate strand, with references to a Student Leadership Team, house competitions, and peer-to-peer support. For families, the implication is that confident students who want responsibility will find it, and quieter students may still be drawn into contribution through structured roles rather than informal popularity contests.

Finally, the community-facing elements mentioned earlier, including events for military families and a practical food initiative, sit in this wider “beyond lessons” picture. They point to a school that wants pupils to see citizenship as action, not just assembly talk.

Paxman provides 32.5 hours of education per week, which aligns with the national expectation for a mainstream secondary timetable.

Morning registration is at 8.30am, and the school operates clear procedures for late arrival, including alternative entry arrangements via a named on-site location (The Food Plant).

For travel planning, Colchester is served by multiple rail stations, including Colchester (mainline) and Colchester Town (branch line), which can help families balancing commute patterns with school run logistics.

• Competition for places. Demand data indicates 492 applications for 171 offers, so admission can be the main constraint rather than the education itself. Families should plan realistic alternative preferences.

• A relatively new school. Opening in 2019 brings benefits, including a clear identity and modern systems, but it also means the long-term trend line on exam outcomes has fewer years of published history than older Colchester secondaries.

• Progress 8 is slightly negative. A Progress 8 score of -0.17 suggests outcomes are a little below what would be expected from prior attainment, which makes consistent attendance and effective intervention particularly important for students who are academically borderline.

• A music aptitude pathway adds complexity. If you are aiming for one of the aptitude places, the deadlines and paperwork are earlier and more specific, and missing one form can remove the option entirely.

Paxman Academy is a structured, community-aware 11 to 16 secondary that feels purposeful rather than traditional. The curriculum is clearly framed, with a STEM emphasis, deliberate attention to literacy and spoken communication, and an offer that respects both academic and applied routes.

Who it suits: families who want clear routines, explicit expectations, and a school culture where pupils are encouraged to take responsibility, including through student-led clubs and leadership roles. The main hurdle is admission, with oversubscription a material factor for many Year 6 families.