Bridgewater Primary School

About Bridgewater Primary School

Bridgewater Primary School sits comfortably above the local authority average for Key Stage 2 outcomes, with 75% of its pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared to the Hertfordshire average of 64%. That eleven-point gap is significant for a state primary, and it places the school in the top quarter nationally for this measure. The school’s ranking within Dacorum is 6th out of 47 primary schools, putting it in the top 13% locally, and it also performs well regionally, sitting in the top 17% of East of England primaries. This is a school that consistently delivers above-average results without being a selective or faith school, which makes its performance stand out against the LA baseline.

Digging into the detail, Bridgewater’s reading scores are particularly strong: 92% of pupils met the expected standard, and 45% reached the higher standard, with an average scaled score of 109. Writing and maths also hold up well, with 87% and 82% at expected levels respectively, and 30% and 32% hitting the higher threshold. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022 rated it Good overall, with leadership, early years provision and behaviour all judged Good. This is a notable improvement from its 2014 inspection, when the school was rated Requires Improvement. The current headteacher, Andrea Bettridge, leads a school that has clearly turned a corner and is now delivering solid academic outcomes across the board.

Bridgewater is oversubscribed, with 157 applications for 60 places in 2025/26 and 59 first-preference offers made from 71 first-preference applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.62. The school has a nursery provision for children from age 3 and offers a range of facilities including a sensory room, library, sports hall and a chapel. SEND support covers specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional needs, speech and language needs, hearing impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. With a low free school meals rate of 6.4%, the school serves a relatively affluent catchment, but its inclusive SEND provisions mean it can support a range of needs. This is a strong, well-regarded local primary that suits families looking for above-average academic outcomes in a non-selective, community-focused setting.

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