Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School

About Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School

Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School is a small Church of England state primary in Welwyn Hatfield, Hertfordshire, currently teaching 80 pupils against a capacity of 115. That leaves roughly a third of its spaces empty, which is notable given the school is officially oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake: it received 21 applications for just 9 places, with 7 of those coming as first preferences. The oversubscription ratio sits at 2.33, meaning more than two families applied for every spot. The school serves a relatively diverse intake by local standards — 22.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is higher than the national primary average of around 23% but worth flagging in the context of Hertfordshire, a generally affluent county. With nursery provision on site for children from age three, the school feeds into its own Reception class, and the mixed-gender, 3-11 age range makes it a straightforward all-through primary option for local families.

Academically, Essendon’s most recent Key Stage 2 results from 2023/24 paint a mixed picture. Just 38% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, well below the local authority average of 64%. The school ranks 31st out of 34 primary schools in Welwyn Hatfield on this measure, placing it in the bottom 50% nationally. Drilling into individual subjects, 69% reached the expected standard in maths and the average maths score was 102, which is in line with the national average of 100. Reading and writing were weaker: only 46% hit the expected standard in each, with reading averaging a score of 101. At the higher standard, 38% achieved greater depth in maths, but no pupils reached that level in reading, writing or the combined measure. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in July 2022, confirmed it remains Good overall — a rating it has held since at least its previous graded inspection in 2013, when leadership and management, early years provision and overall effectiveness were all judged Good.

The school sits on a generous site with playing fields, a sports hall, an ICT suite, a library, music rooms and a chapel, plus a forest school and sensory room. Sports provision includes tennis, football, netball, gymnastics, cricket, rounders and swimming, and there is a decent range of clubs: drama, choir, eco club, art club, film club and gardening. SEND support is formally listed for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, and speech, language and communication needs. For families considering alternatives, the nearest Outstanding-rated primary is Countess Anne Church of England School, 4.7 km away. Essendon is a genuinely small school — fewer than 100 pupils — which will suit parents who want a close-knit, church-affiliated setting with strong outdoor facilities, but the below-average KS2 outcomes mean it is worth visiting and asking about recent progress in reading and writing before committing.

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