Community school · Hertfordshire

Sauncey Wood Primary School

4–11Ages
147Pupils
PrimaryPhase
117102URN

Pickford Hill, Harpenden, AL5 5HL · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · May 2025 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.5per place

1.1 below Hertfordshire median (2.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Hertfordshire

25 applications for 17 places · 306th of 314 in Hertfordshire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

59%met the expected standard

Hertfordshire 67% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 13 May 2025Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Inspection history

13 May 2025
Graded inspection, no overall grade
24 April 2024
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Concerns)

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

1.5applications per place, Reception

1.1 below Hertfordshire median (2.6) 0.7 below England median (2.2)

25 applications · 17 places offered · 10 named it first

2026 1.5; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2025 1.9; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2024 1.9; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2023 1.7; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2022 2.4; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2021 1.8; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2020 2.2; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2019 1.7; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2018 2.0; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2017 1.9; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2016 2.2; Hertfordshire median median 2.9
2015 1.5; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2014 1.1; 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	17	25	1.5	10	0.59
Sep 2025	17	32	1.9	14	0.82
Sep 2024	22	41	1.9	15	0.68
Sep 2023	25	43	1.7	25	1.00
Sep 2022	21	50	2.4	19	0.90
Sep 2021	30	53	1.8	25	0.83
Sep 2020	23	50	2.2	22	0.96
Sep 2019	28	47	1.7	22	0.79
Sep 2018	24	47	2.0	21	0.88
Sep 2017	29	55	1.9	19	0.66
Sep 2016	30	65	2.2	21	0.70
Sep 2015	29	44	1.5	16	0.55
Sep 2014	48	52	1.1	20	0.42

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 79% · Writing 72% · Maths 76% → all three 59% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard59%221st of 331 in Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire 67% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard79%

Hertfordshire 80% England 78%

Higher standard41%

Hertfordshire 38% England 33%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard72%

Hertfordshire 75% England 75%

Greater depth7%

Hertfordshire 14% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard76%

Hertfordshire 79% England 77%

Higher standard31%

Hertfordshire 30% England 24%

Average scaled score 105 (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	59%	7%	107	105
2023/24	40%	7%	107	106
2022/23	55%	6%	108	107

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

Sauncey Wood Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.5applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
Manland Primary School
0.9 km · Hertfordshire

Remains Good · improving2024

4.7applications per place 91%met the SATs standard
The Lea Primary School and Nursery
1.2 km · Hertfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2024

3.6applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
Crabtree Junior School
1.3 km · Hertfordshire

Outstanding2023

86%met the SATs standard
Crabtree Infants' School
1.3 km · Hertfordshire

Outstanding2024

4.3applications per place
High Beeches Primary School
1.6 km · Hertfordshire

Remains Outstanding2023

3.8applications per place 80%met the SATs standard
Harpenden Academy
1.7 km · Hertfordshire

Improved significantly2025

3.5applications per place 81%met the SATs standard
St Nicholas CofE VA Primary School
1.9 km · Hertfordshire

Remains Good2022

3.4applications per place 91%met the SATs standard
St Dominic Catholic Primary School
2.0 km · Hertfordshire

Outstanding2023

2.1applications per place

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 117102 · 919/2033
Capacity: 210 pupils · 147 on roll
Free school meals: 22.4% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: Resourced provision
Address: Pickford Hill, Harpenden, AL5 5HL
Local authority: Hertfordshire · St Albans

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