Community school · Hertfordshire

Mary Exton Primary School

5–11Ages
146Pupils
PrimaryPhase
117329URN

St Michael's Road, Hitchin, SG4 0QA · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Sep 2022 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

8.3per place

5.7 above Hertfordshire median (2.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Hertfordshire

58 applications for 7 places

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

40%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 September 2022Ofsted'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

8.3applications per place, Reception

5.7 above Hertfordshire median (2.6) 6.1 above England median (2.2)

58 applications · 7 places offered · 6 named it first

2026 8.3; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2025 5.9; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2024 3.6; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2023 3.8; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2022 3.1; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2021 4.0; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2020 3.6; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2019 4.5; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2018 4.6; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2017 4.4; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2016 5.7; Hertfordshire median median 2.9
2015 4.8; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2014 5.9; Hertfordshire median median 2.7

More applications per place than the Hertfordshire median in 13 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	7	58	8.3	6	0.86
Sep 2025	10	59	5.9	8	0.80
Sep 2024	19	69	3.6	11	0.58
Sep 2023	16	61	3.8	15	0.94
Sep 2022	21	64	3.1	13	0.62
Sep 2021	15	60	4.0	15	1.00
Sep 2020	21	75	3.6	13	0.62
Sep 2019	23	104	4.5	18	0.78
Sep 2018	30	139	4.6	21	0.70
Sep 2017	29	127	4.4	16	0.55
Sep 2016	25	143	5.7	22	0.88
Sep 2015	30	143	4.8	23	0.77
Sep 2014	30	176	5.9	21	0.70

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 80% · Writing 40% · Maths 67% → all three 40% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard40%298th of 331 in Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire 67% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard80%

Hertfordshire 80% England 78%

Higher standard43%

Hertfordshire 38% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard40%

Hertfordshire 75% England 75%

Greater depth7%

Hertfordshire 14% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard67%

Hertfordshire 79% England 77%

Higher standard30%

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	40%	7%	106	105
2023/24	33%	10%	107	104
2022/23	43%	3%	106	106

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

Mary Exton Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2022

8.3applications per place 40%met the SATs standard
William Ransom Primary School
0.5 km · Hertfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.9applications per place 78%met the SATs standard
Purwell Primary School
0.7 km · Hertfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2024

5.0applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
St Andrew's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Hitchin
1.0 km · Hertfordshire

2026

4.4applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
Whitehill Junior School
1.2 km · Hertfordshire

Remains Good · improving2023

72%met the SATs standard
Highover Primary School
1.3 km · Hertfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.4applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
Highbury Infant School and Nursery
1.5 km · Hertfordshire

Remains Good2022

2.9applications per place
Wymondley Junior Mixed and Infant School
1.7 km · Hertfordshire

Good2023

2.7applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
St Ippolyts Church of England Aided Primary School
2.0 km · Hertfordshire

Good2023

2.1applications per place 75%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: 117329 · 919/2415
Capacity: 210 pupils · 146 on roll
Free school meals: 17.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: St Michael's Road, Hitchin, SG4 0QA
Local authority: Hertfordshire · North Hertfordshire

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