Located in Chelmsford, Lift Columbus is a not applicable school, serving pupils aged 3 to 19. The school is a academy special converter and operates as a mixed school. It follows a not applicable admissions policy. It does not have a designated religious character, which may suit families looking for a non-faith school. The school also offers a sixth form, allowing students to continue into post-16 education on site.
Lift Columbus currently has around 286 pupils on roll, which is about 106% of its capacity. The gender split is relatively balanced, with approximately 66.8% boys and 33.2% girls. Around 31.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which gives an indication of the socio-economic mix. Pupil backgrounds are varied across different backgrounds and needs.
Overall absence at the school is 9.1%. Persistent absence is recorded at 28.2%.
The majority of pupils are from a white british background (69.9%).
Around 88% of pupils move on to sustained destinations after Year 11. Most continue into education (88%) , including 0% who stay in school sixth forms and 0% progressing to further education , while 0% enter apprenticeships .
| Address: | Oliver Way, Chelmsford, CM1 4ZB |
| Website: | www.columbusschoolandcollege.org |
| Telephone: | 01245491492 |
| School Type: | Academy special converter |
| Education phase: | Not applicable |
| Local authority: | Essex |
| Headteacher / Principal: | Ms Michelle Hughes |
| Religious character: | Does not apply |
| Admissions policy: | Not applicable |
| Unique reference: | 138122 |
Ofsted inspection date: 20/05/2025
Safeguarding is not effective
| Age Range: | 3 - 19 |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| School Capacity: | 270 |
| Number of Pupils: | 286 |
| Number of Boys: | 191 |
| Number of Girls: | 95 |
| School | England state-funded schools: | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall absence: | 9.1% | 4% |
| Persistent absence: | 28.2% | 8.2% |
| White British | 69.90% | 200 |
| African | 7.00% | 20 |
| Indian | 3.80% | 11 |
| Other White | 3.10% | 9 |
| Bangladeshi | 2.80% | 8 |
| Unclassified | 2.40% | 7 |
| White and Asian | 2.10% | 6 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 1.40% | 4 |
| Other Asian | 1.40% | 4 |
| Caribbean | 1.40% | 4 |
| White and Black African | 1.00% | 3 |
| Chinese | 1.00% | 3 |
| Other Mixed | 0.70% | 2 |
| Other Black | 0.70% | 2 |
| Gypsy/Roma | 0.30% | 1 |
| Irish | 0.30% | 1 |
| Other (any other ethnic group) | 0.30% | 1 |
| Pakistani | 0.00% | 0 |
| Irish Traveller (Traveller of Irish heritage) | 0.00% | 0 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tanglewood Nursery School Melbourne Avenue , CM1 2DX | 4out of 4 | 466 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Pius X Catholic Primary School Tennyson Road , CM1 4HY | - not rated | 468 yd | Voluntary aided school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| St Pius X Catholic Primary School Tennyson Road , CM1 4HY | 3out of 4 | 468 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Melbourne Park Primary and Nursery School Melbourne Avenue , CM1 2DX | - not rated | 570 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Parkwood Academy Melbourne Avenue , CM1 2DX | 2out of 4 | 570 yd | Academy sponsor led | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Kings Road Primary School Kings Road , CM1 2BB | 3out of 4 | 1,061 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St John Payne Catholic School, Chelmsford Patching Hall Lane , CM1 4BS | 3out of 4 | 306 yd | Voluntary aided school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Rainsford High School Fox Crescent , CM1 2BL | - not rated | 1,230 yd | Foundation school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| St Peter's Church of England and Specialist Arts College Fox Crescent , CM1 2BL | - not rated | 1,230 yd | Voluntary aided school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Chelmsford County High School for Girls Broomfield Road , CM1 1RW | 4out of 4 | 1,338 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Girls | More About School |
| Chelmsford County High School for Girls Broomfield Road , CM1 1RW | - not rated | 1,338 yd | Foundation school | Not Applicable | Girls | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Writtle College Limited Lordship Road , Writtle CM1 3RR | - not rated | 3,058 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Beaulieu Park School Armistice Avenue , CM1 6DT | 4out of 4 | 2,999 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lift Columbus Oliver Way , CM1 4ZB | - not rated | 0 yd | Academy special converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Columbus School and College Patching Hall Lane , CM1 4BX | - not rated | 31 yd | Community special school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| The Chelmsford New Model Special School, Woodlands Campus Patching Hall Lane , CM1 4BX | - not rated | 31 yd | Community special school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| The Hawthorns School Thornhurst Road , CM1 2XT | - not rated | 1,286 yd | Free schools special | No | Mixed | More About School |
| The Sir Geoff Hurst Academy Fox Crescent , CM1 2XT | - not rated | 1,393 yd | Free schools special | No | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.