Community school · Hertfordshire

Highwood Primary School

3–11Ages
445Pupils
PrimaryPhase
117089URN

Mead Way, Bushey, WD23 2AW · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jun 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.6per place

1.0 below Hertfordshire median (2.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Hertfordshire

98 applications for 60 places · 294th of 314 in Hertfordshire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

41%met the expected standard

Hertfordshire 67% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 27 June 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision	Outstanding

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.6applications per place, Reception

1.0 below Hertfordshire median (2.6) 0.6 below England median (2.2)

98 applications · 60 places offered · 58 named it first

2026 1.6; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2025 1.8; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2024 2.0; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2023 2.1; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2022 2.0; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2021 1.8; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2020 2.3; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2019 2.0; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2018 2.0; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2017 2.1; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2016 2.1; Hertfordshire median median 2.9
2015 2.3; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2014 1.8; Hertfordshire median median 2.7

More applications per place than the Hertfordshire median in 0 of 13 years.

This school
Hertfordshire median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	60	98	1.6	58	0.97
Sep 2025	58	103	1.8	52	0.90
Sep 2024	60	121	2.0	62	1.03
Sep 2023	59	125	2.1	61	1.03
Sep 2022	57	113	2.0	51	0.89
Sep 2021	58	106	1.8	52	0.90
Sep 2020	60	135	2.3	64	1.07
Sep 2019	60	118	2.0	51	0.85
Sep 2018	60	121	2.0	57	0.95
Sep 2017	60	124	2.1	52	0.87
Sep 2016	60	128	2.1	49	0.82
Sep 2015	60	139	2.3	66	1.10
Sep 2014	60	110	1.8	59	0.98

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 66% · Writing 54% · Maths 61% → all three 41% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard41%294th of 331 in Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire 67% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard66%

Hertfordshire 80% England 78%

Higher standard36%

Hertfordshire 38% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard54%

Hertfordshire 75% England 75%

Greater depth8%

Hertfordshire 14% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard61%

Hertfordshire 79% England 77%

Higher standard20%

Hertfordshire 30% England 24%

Average scaled score 103 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Hertfordshire median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	41%	5%	106	103
2023/24	45%	2%	105	105
2022/23	57%	8%	105	104

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Highwood Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2023

1.6applications per place 41%met the SATs standard
Knutsford Primary Academy
1.0 km · Hertfordshire

Good2023

3.0applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
Central Primary School
1.6 km · Hertfordshire

2026

2.0applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Parkgate Junior School
1.6 km · Hertfordshire

Remains Outstanding · concerns noted2024

58%met the SATs standard
Watford St John's Church of England Primary School
1.7 km · Hertfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.0applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Parkgate Infants' and Nursery School
1.8 km · Hertfordshire

Remains Good2024

2.7applications per place
Bournehall Primary School
2.0 km · Hertfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2024

3.8applications per place 77%met the SATs standard
Bushey and Oxhey Infant School
2.1 km · Hertfordshire

Good2024

2.3applications per place
Bushey Manor Junior School
2.1 km · Hertfordshire

Good2023

68%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 117089 · 919/2013
Capacity: 450 pupils · 445 on roll
Free school meals: 19.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Mead Way, Bushey, WD23 2AW
Local authority: Hertfordshire · Hertsmere

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources