Howe Dell Primary School

About Howe Dell Primary School

Howe Dell Primary School sits within Hertfordshire, a local authority home to 401 primary schools, and ranks 187th among them. In the immediate Welwyn Hatfield area, it places 20th out of 34 primary schools, putting it just above the middle of the pack. For context, the top-performing peers in the local authority are Little Gaddesden Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Harvey Road Primary School, and The Russell School, all of which achieve the highest possible ranking scores. Howe Dell is a mixed, state-funded primary for children aged 3 to 11, with a nursery on site. It has no religious character and is led by headteacher Tracy Prickett. The school is popular with local families: for the 2025/26 admissions round, it received 143 applications for 59 places, making it oversubscribed with a ratio of 2.42 applicants per place. Of those, 53 first-preference offers were made from 59 first-preference applications, indicating strong demand from families who list it as their top choice.

Academically, Howe Dell delivers solid but not standout results. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 63% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, just below the Hertfordshire local authority average of 64%. The school’s reading scores were a relative strength, with 83% of pupils meeting the expected standard and 35% reaching the higher standard. Maths followed with 70% at expected and 32% at higher, while writing saw 77% at expected and 17% at higher. Only 10% of pupils achieved the higher standard across all three subjects. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, rated it Good across all areas: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This marks a change from its previous inspection in 2017, when it was judged Outstanding overall. The nearest school currently rated Outstanding is Countess Anne Church of England School, 1.9 km away.

The school offers a range of facilities including a sports hall, outdoor playground, forest school area, sensory room, music rooms and a chapel. Sports on offer include athletics, cross country, tennis, swimming, cricket and netball, while clubs cover coding, book club, drama and gardening. For children with additional needs, Howe Dell has SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. Parent feedback is very positive: 95% of respondents would recommend the school, and 98% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy there. The school is oversubscribed, so families applying should be prepared for competition, particularly for first-preference places. It suits families looking for a well-regarded local primary with a broad range of activities and strong pastoral support, set within a competitive Hertfordshire admissions landscape.

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