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Academy converter · Hertfordshire

Waterside Academy

  • 3–11Ages
  • 166Pupils
  • PrimaryPhase
  • 145257URN

Rowans, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 1NZ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Feb 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
2.0per place
0.6 below Hertfordshire median (2.6)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Hertfordshire

41 applications for 21 places · 260th of 314 in Hertfordshire
Every year since 2014
SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25
64%met the expected standard
Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 24 February 2026Published 5 May 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
AchievementExpected standard
Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
Early yearsExpected standard
Post-16 provisionDoes not apply to this school
Leadership and governanceExpected standard
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 24 February 2026
    Report card · 1 Strong standard, 6 Expected standard
  2. 15 June 2022
    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
2.0applications per place, Reception
0.6 below Hertfordshire median (2.6) 0.2 below England median (2.2)

41 applications · 21 places offered · 19 named it first

  1. 2026 2.0; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
  2. 2025 2.1; Hertfordshire median median 2.6
  3. 2024 2.2; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
  4. 2023 2.1; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
  5. 2022 1.9; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
  6. 2021 1.6; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
  7. 2020 1.7; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
  8. 2019 1.0; Hertfordshire median median 2.8
  9. 2018 1.6; Hertfordshire median median 2.7
  10. 2017 1.4; Hertfordshire median median 2.6; as the previous school
  11. 2016 2.3; Hertfordshire median median 2.9; as the previous school
  12. 2015 2.0; Hertfordshire median median 2.8; as the previous school
  13. 2014 1.9; Hertfordshire median median 2.7; as the previous school
More applications per place than the Hertfordshire median in 0 of 9 years.
  • This school
  • Hertfordshire median

Dashed bars: as Rowans Primary School (URN 117257), the previous school.

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.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 202621412.0190.90
Sep 202519392.1191.00
Sep 202426572.2240.92
Sep 202322452.1190.86
Sep 202219361.9180.95
Sep 202122341.6120.55
Sep 202024411.7220.92
Sep 201929301.0160.55
Sep 201830491.6240.80
Sep 2017 *30411.4180.60
Sep 2016 *19432.3160.84
Sep 2015 *30592.0190.63
Sep 2014 *30581.9200.67

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 75% · Writing 71% · Maths 64% → all three 64% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard64%177th of 331 in Hertfordshire
Reading
Expected standard75%
Higher standard29%
Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)
Writing
Expected standard71%
Greater depth11%
Maths
Expected standard64%
Higher standard18%
Average scaled score 101 (100 = expected standard)
  • This school
  • Hertfordshire median
  • England median
Every year as a table
YearExpected standardHigher standardReading scoreMaths score
2024/2564%7%106101
2023/2470%9%103103
2022/2371%12%109106

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

  • 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
Primary
URN · DfE number
145257 · 919/2296
Trust
Agora Learning Partnership
Capacity
210 pupils · 166 on roll
Free school meals
43.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery
Has nursery classes
Opened
1 January 2018
Replaced
Rowans Primary School (URN 117257)
Address
Rowans, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 1NZ
Local authority
Hertfordshire · Welwyn Hatfield

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