Community school · Hertfordshire

Holwell Primary School

5–11Ages
397Pupils
PrimaryPhase
117175URN

Holwell Road, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 3RP · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jan 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.7per place

close to Hertfordshire median (2.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Hertfordshire

143 applications for 53 places · 125th of 314 in Hertfordshire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

77%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 · 25 January 2023Ofsted'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

2.7applications per place, Reception

close to Hertfordshire median (2.6) 0.5 above England median (2.2)

143 applications · 53 places offered · 46 named it first

2026 2.7; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2025 2.6; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2024 2.5; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2023 2.4; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2022 1.9; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2021 2.5; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2020 2.2; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2019 1.9; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2018 1.9; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2017 2.3; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2016 2.9; Hertfordshire median median 2.9
2015 2.9; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2014 4.9; Hertfordshire median median 2.7

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	53	143	2.7	46	0.87
Sep 2025	57	148	2.6	43	0.75
Sep 2024	58	144	2.5	53	0.91
Sep 2023	59	143	2.4	54	0.92
Sep 2022	57	109	1.9	50	0.88
Sep 2021	59	148	2.5	62	1.05
Sep 2020	58	129	2.2	46	0.79
Sep 2019	59	113	1.9	31	0.53
Sep 2018	60	111	1.9	36	0.60
Sep 2017	60	140	2.3	53	0.88
Sep 2016	60	174	2.9	59	0.98
Sep 2015	60	175	2.9	59	0.98
Sep 2014	30	146	4.9	45	1.50

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 86% · Writing 77% · Maths 88% → all three 77% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard77%65th of 331 in Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire 67% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard86%

Hertfordshire 80% England 78%

Higher standard57%

Hertfordshire 38% England 33%

Average scaled score 109 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard77%

Hertfordshire 75% England 75%

Greater depth11%

Hertfordshire 14% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard88%

Hertfordshire 79% England 77%

Higher standard30%

Hertfordshire 30% England 24%

Average scaled score 107 (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	77%	9%	109	107
2023/24	83%	3%	108	106
2022/23	75%	11%	107	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

Holwell Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2023

2.7applications per place 77%met the SATs standard
Peartree Primary School
0.4 km · Hertfordshire

Standards maintained2025

4.4applications per place 75%met the SATs standard
Our Lady Catholic Primary School
0.5 km · Hertfordshire

2026

3.0applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
Swallow Dell Primary and Nursery School
0.6 km · Hertfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.4applications per place 80%met the SATs standard
Creswick Academy
0.8 km · Hertfordshire

Requires improvement2022

1.9applications per place 40%met the SATs standard
Panshanger Primary School
1.2 km · Hertfordshire

Good2023

3.9applications per place 80%met the SATs standard
Watchlytes Primary School
1.5 km · Hertfordshire

Special measures 2025

2.4applications per place 76%met the SATs standard
Commonswood Primary & Nursery School
1.6 km · Hertfordshire

Good2023

1.9applications per place 65%met the SATs standard
Applecroft School
1.7 km · Hertfordshire

Good2023

3.3applications per place 78%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: 117175 · 919/2143
Capacity: 420 pupils · 397 on roll
Free school meals: 31.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Holwell Road, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 3RP
Local authority: Hertfordshire · Welwyn Hatfield

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