Fairlands Primary School

About Fairlands Primary School

Fairlands Primary School sits within Hertfordshire’s large primary landscape, where it ranks 289th out of 401 state primary schools in the local authority. In the immediate Stevenage area, it places 16th out of 19 primaries, placing it in the bottom half of local schools. For context, the top-performing peers in Hertfordshire include Little Gaddesden Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School and Harvey Road Primary School, both with perfect ranking scores, and The Russell School close behind on 97. Fairlands is a mixed, non-religious state primary for children aged 3 to 11, with a nursery on site. It is led by headteacher Robert Staples and is significantly larger than many local primaries, with 674 pupils against a capacity of 720. The school also has a notably high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 37.1 per cent, well above the national average, which gives a sense of the community it serves.

Academically, Fairlands’ most recent Key Stage 2 results from 2023/24 show that 44 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That is 20 percentage points below the Hertfordshire local authority average of 64 per cent, and it places the school in the bottom 50 nationally for this measure. Looking at individual subjects, 63 per cent met the expected standard in reading, 62 per cent in maths, and 64 per cent in writing. At the higher standard, 13 per cent achieved the combined benchmark, with reading leading at 27 per cent, maths at 23 per cent, and writing at 14 per cent. Average scaled scores were 103 in reading and 102 in maths. The school’s most recent graded Ofsted inspection, in 2012, rated it Good overall, with Good leadership and management. A subsequent ungraded inspection in 2021 confirmed it remains Good. That is a clear improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2010.

The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 136 applications for 67 places, a ratio of 2.03 applicants per place, and made 64 offers to first-preference families. Facilities include art studios, music rooms, a library, a sensory room, a forest school, a gymnasium, and a chapel. Sports provision covers gymnastics, cricket, tennis, football, dance, and swimming, while clubs include gardening, science, and eco club. SEND support is broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary is Letchmore Infants' and Nursery School, just 0.4 km away. Fairlands is a large, inclusive school that suits families looking for strong SEND provision and a diverse intake, but those prioritising top-tier academic results may want to compare outcomes with higher-ranked local options.

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