Community school · Hertfordshire

The Lea Primary School and Nursery

3–11Ages
239Pupils
PrimaryPhase
117327URN

Moorland Road, Harpenden, AL5 4LE · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Oct 2024 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

3.6per place

1.0 above Hertfordshire median (2.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Hertfordshire

107 applications for 30 places · 56th of 314 in Hertfordshire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

70%met the expected standard

Hertfordshire 67% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 1 October 2024Ofsted'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	Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding
Early years provision	Outstanding

Inspection history

1 October 2024
Graded inspection, no overall grade
21 June 2023
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Improving)

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

3.6applications per place, Reception

1.0 above Hertfordshire median (2.6) 1.4 above England median (2.2)

107 applications · 30 places offered · 40 named it first

2026 3.6; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2025 2.9; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2024 2.8; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2023 3.8; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2022 2.5; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2021 3.8; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2020 2.7; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2019 2.2; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2018 2.9; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2017 2.4; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2016 2.8; Hertfordshire median median 2.9
2015 2.6; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2014 2.2; 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	30	107	3.6	40	1.33
Sep 2025	30	86	2.9	22	0.73
Sep 2024	30	83	2.8	33	1.10
Sep 2023	30	114	3.8	35	1.17
Sep 2022	29	71	2.5	25	0.86
Sep 2021	20	76	3.8	18	0.90
Sep 2020	30	80	2.7	34	1.13
Sep 2019	21	47	2.2	15	0.71
Sep 2018	24	70	2.9	23	0.96
Sep 2017	30	72	2.4	27	0.90
Sep 2016	30	85	2.8	31	1.03
Sep 2015	28	72	2.6	21	0.75
Sep 2014	27	59	2.2	18	0.67

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 77% · Writing 83% · Maths 77% → all three 70% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard70%121st of 331 in Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire 67% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard77%

Hertfordshire 80% England 78%

Higher standard20%

Hertfordshire 38% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard83%

Hertfordshire 75% England 75%

Greater depth33%

Hertfordshire 14% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard77%

Hertfordshire 79% England 77%

Higher standard30%

Hertfordshire 30% England 24%

Average scaled score 106 (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	70%	7%	104	106
2023/24	80%	0%	106	107
2022/23	93%	23%	112	110

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

The Lea Primary School and NurseryThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2024

3.6applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
Manland Primary School
0.7 km · Hertfordshire

Remains Good · improving2024

4.7applications per place 91%met the SATs standard
Sauncey Wood Primary School
1.2 km · Hertfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.5applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
St Nicholas CofE VA Primary School
1.4 km · Hertfordshire

Remains Good2022

3.4applications per place 91%met the SATs standard
Harpenden Academy
1.5 km · Hertfordshire

Improved significantly2025

3.5applications per place 81%met the SATs standard
Roundwood Primary School
1.6 km · Hertfordshire

2026

4.2applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Crabtree Junior School
1.7 km · Hertfordshire

Outstanding2023

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

Outstanding2024

4.3applications per place
Wood End School
1.9 km · Hertfordshire

Outstanding2023

2.7applications per place 80%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: 117327 · 919/2412
Capacity: 236 pupils · 239 on roll
Free school meals: 11.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Moorland Road, Harpenden, AL5 4LE
Local authority: Hertfordshire · St Albans

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