Community school · Hertfordshire

St Paul's Walden Primary School

4–11Ages
74Pupils
PrimaryPhase
117144URN

Bendish Lane, Whitwell, Hitchin, SG4 8HX · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 2024 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

17 applications for 11 places

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

71%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 · 19 March 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
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

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)

17 applications · 11 places offered · 11 named it first

2026 1.6; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2025 1.8; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2024 1.3; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2023 1.6; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2022 2.1; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2021 1.9; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2020 1.3; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2019 2.0; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2018 3.3; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2017 1.6; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2016 1.5; Hertfordshire median median 2.9
2015 2.2; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2014 1.8; Hertfordshire median median 2.7

More applications per place than the Hertfordshire median in 1 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	11	17	1.6	11	1.00
Sep 2025	10	18	1.8	10	1.00
Sep 2024	12	15	1.3	12	1.00
Sep 2023	10	16	1.6	9	0.90
Sep 2022	11	23	2.1	9	0.82
Sep 2021	10	19	1.9	9	0.90
Sep 2020	13	17	1.3	13	1.00
Sep 2019	15	30	2.0	21	1.40
Sep 2018	7	23	3.3	7	1.00
Sep 2017	18	28	1.6	18	1.00
Sep 2016	17	25	1.5	17	1.00
Sep 2015	11	24	2.2	11	1.00
Sep 2014	12	21	1.8	11	0.92

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 86% · Writing 71% · Maths 71% → all three 71% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard71%114th of 331 in Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire 67% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard86%

Hertfordshire 80% England 78%

Higher standard43%

Hertfordshire 38% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard71%

Hertfordshire 75% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Hertfordshire 14% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard71%

Hertfordshire 79% England 77%

Higher standard0%

Hertfordshire 30% England 24%

Average scaled score 101 (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	71%	0%	106	101
2023/24	38%	0%	105	99
2022/23	45%	9%	106	100

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

St Paul's Walden Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2024

1.6applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
Kimpton Primary School
3.0 km · Hertfordshire

2026

2.0applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Breachwood Green Junior Mixed and Infant School
3.0 km · Hertfordshire

2026

1.9applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
Preston Primary School
3.4 km · Hertfordshire

Good2024

2.6applications per place 27%met the SATs standard
Codicote Church of England Primary School
4.6 km · Hertfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.4applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Cockernhoe Endowed CofE Primary School
6.0 km · Hertfordshire

2026

1.8applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Woolenwick Junior School
6.1 km · Hertfordshire

Good2023

62%met the SATs standard
Woolenwick Infant and Nursery School
6.1 km · Hertfordshire

Remains Outstanding2023

2.5applications per place
Wigmore Primary
6.2 km · Luton

Remains Good2024

2.0applications per place 58%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: 117144 · 919/2101
Capacity: 105 pupils · 74 on roll
Free school meals: 27.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Bendish Lane, Whitwell, Hitchin, SG4 8HX
Local authority: Hertfordshire · North Hertfordshire

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