Academy converter · Essex

Saffron Walden County High School

11–18Ages
2,157Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
136776URN

Audley End Road, Saffron Walden, CB11 4UH · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 2024 Previous framework

Outstanding

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.9per place

1.0 below Essex median (2.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in EssexSelective

536 applications for 290 places · 60th of 78 in Essex

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

55.8of 90

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

9th of 79 in Essex

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Outstanding · 26 March 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education	Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding
Sixth form provision	Outstanding

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

1.9applications per place, Year 7

1.0 below Essex median (2.8) 0.4 below England median (2.2)

536 applications · 290 places offered · 344 named it first

2026 1.9; Essex median median 2.8
2025 1.9; Essex median median 2.7
2024 2.1; Essex median median 2.8
2023 2.0; Essex median median 2.7
2022 2.0; Essex median median 2.7
2021 1.9; Essex median median 2.6
2020 1.8; Essex median median 2.8
2019 1.7; Essex median median 2.7
2018 1.8; Essex median median 2.6
2017 2.2; Essex median median 2.7
2016 2.3; Essex median median 2.6
2015 2.1; Essex median median 2.5
2014 2.0; Essex median median 2.6

More applications per place than the Essex median in 0 of 13 years.

This school
Essex median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, 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	290	536	1.9	344	1.19
Sep 2025	298	559	1.9	367	1.23
Sep 2024	284	598	2.1	380	1.34
Sep 2023	296	580	2.0	361	1.22
Sep 2022	294	575	2.0	319	1.09
Sep 2021	295	553	1.9	353	1.20
Sep 2020	293	516	1.8	327	1.12
Sep 2019	291	492	1.7	303	1.04
Sep 2018	291	533	1.8	324	1.11
Sep 2017	279	604	2.2	363	1.30
Sep 2016	282	641	2.3	363	1.29
Sep 2015	293	611	2.1	380	1.30
Sep 2014	287	565	2.0	344	1.20

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

300 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)55.89th of 79 in Essex

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths65%9th of 79 in Essex

Essex 43% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths78%

Essex 66% England 66%

This school
Essex median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.28

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	300	55.8	65%	78%	–
2024/25	303	59.7	66%	85%	–
2023/24	293	56.7	63%	82%	+0.28
2022/23	300	55.1	57%	77%	+0.30

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Saffron Walden County High SchoolThis school
This school

Outstanding2024

1.9applications per place 55.8Attainment 8
Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport
3.6 km · Essex

Good2023

2.7applications per place 50.7Attainment 8
Linton Village College
9.5 km · Cambridgeshire

Good2024

2.0applications per place 48.8Attainment 8
Sawston Village College
13.0 km · Cambridgeshire

Remains Good2023

1.5applications per place 54.2Attainment 8
Forest Hall School
13.8 km · Essex

2026

2.8applications per place 42.8Attainment 8
Castle Manor Academy
15.5 km · Suffolk

Standards maintained2024

1.8applications per place 39.5Attainment 8
Avanti Grange Secondary School
15.7 km · Hertfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

4.6applications per place
Birchwood High School
16.2 km · Hertfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

3.5applications per place 45.5Attainment 8
Melbourn Village College
16.6 km · Cambridgeshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.3applications per place 43.7Attainment 8

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: Academy converter
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 136776 · 881/5408
Trust: Saffron Academy Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 2,050 pupils · 2,157 on roll
Free school meals: 10.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 June 2011
Replaced: Saffron Walden County High School (URN 115324)
Address: Audley End Road, Saffron Walden, CB11 4UH
Local authority: Essex · Uttlesford

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources