Voluntary aided school · Hertfordshire

Hertingfordbury Cowper Primary School

3–11Ages
229Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
117563URN

Birch Green, Hertford, SG14 2LR · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodMay 2019

Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · Oct 2024

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.6per place

close to Hertfordshire median (2.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Hertfordshire

79 applications for 30 places · 140th of 314 in Hertfordshire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

76%met the expected standard

Hertfordshire 67% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodMay 2019

Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · Oct 2024

Inspection history

23 October 2024
Ungraded inspection: Standards maintained
21 May 2019
Graded inspection: 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

2.6applications per place, Reception

close to Hertfordshire median (2.6) 0.4 above England median (2.2)

79 applications · 30 places offered · 29 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.6; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2025 2.2; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2024 2.6; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2023 2.4; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2022 2.3; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2021 2.6; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2020 2.3; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2019 2.2; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2018 2.5; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
2017 1.9; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
2016 2.2; Hertfordshire median median 2.9
2015 1.8; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
2014 2.3; 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	30	79	2.6	29	0.97
Sep 2025	30	65	2.2	26	0.87
Sep 2024	30	77	2.6	33	1.10
Sep 2023	30	73	2.4	25	0.83
Sep 2022	26	60	2.3	21	0.81
Sep 2021	29	74	2.6	32	1.10
Sep 2020	30	69	2.3	40	1.33
Sep 2019	30	66	2.2	25	0.83
Sep 2018	30	76	2.5	32	1.07
Sep 2017	23	43	1.9	20	0.87
Sep 2016	30	67	2.2	38	1.27
Sep 2015	30	54	1.8	26	0.87
Sep 2014	30	68	2.3	32	1.07

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 93% · Writing 86% · Maths 83% → all three 76% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard76%76th of 331 in Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire 67% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard93%

Hertfordshire 80% England 78%

Higher standard55%

Hertfordshire 38% England 33%

Average scaled score 109 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard86%

Hertfordshire 75% England 75%

Greater depth34%

Hertfordshire 14% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard83%

Hertfordshire 79% England 77%

Higher standard38%

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	76%	24%	109	107
2023/24	61%	18%	108	105
2022/23	53%	7%	108	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

Hertingfordbury Cowper Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Standards maintained2024

2.6applications per place 76%met the SATs standard
Hollybush Primary School
2.2 km · Hertfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.0applications per place 32%met the SATs standard
Hertford St Andrew CofE Primary School
2.2 km · Hertfordshire

Some aspects not as strong2024

1.5applications per place
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (Hertford)
2.6 km · Hertfordshire

Standards maintained2024

2.5applications per place 46%met the SATs standard
Mill Mead Primary Academy
3.2 km · Hertfordshire

Standards maintained2025

4.4applications per place
Morgans Primary School & Nursery
3.3 km · Hertfordshire

Good2023

2.3applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
Springmead Primary School
3.3 km · Hertfordshire

Good2022

1.7applications per place 52%met the SATs standard
Watchlytes Primary School
3.4 km · Hertfordshire

Special measures 2025

2.4applications per place 76%met the SATs standard
Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School
3.4 km · Hertfordshire

Remains Good2022

5.0applications per place 17%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: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 117563 · 919/5203
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 235 pupils · 229 on roll
Free school meals: 2.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Birch Green, Hertford, SG14 2LR
Local authority: Hertfordshire · East Hertfordshire

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