Letchmore Infants' and Nursery School

About Letchmore Infants' and Nursery School

Letchmore Infants’ and Nursery School stands out in Stevenage for its exceptional Ofsted record, but the local context reveals a more nuanced picture. The school’s most recent inspection in 2024 awarded it Outstanding across every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, early years provision, and leadership and management. That puts it among 45 primary schools in Hertfordshire to hold the top grade, out of 401 total. However, the local authority average for Key Stage 2 attainment sits at 64, and since Letchmore only takes children up to age 7, it doesn’t produce KS2 results to compare directly. What the data does show is that the school is heavily oversubscribed: for 85 places in 2025/26, it received 189 applications, with 73 first-preference offers. That 2.22 oversubscription ratio suggests strong local demand, even without headline exam metrics to benchmark against the LA average.

Because Letchmore is an infant and nursery school, its academic story is told through Ofsted rather than published test scores. The inspection team found the quality of education Outstanding, noting that pupils achieve highly across the curriculum. The school also earned top marks for personal development and behaviour, with inspectors rating both as Outstanding. The previous inspection in 2013 had already judged overall effectiveness and leadership as Outstanding, so the school has maintained that standard over more than a decade. With 308 pupils on roll against a capacity of 342, there is some spare capacity, but the oversubscription figures suggest that is more about the age range than a lack of interest. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 10.3%, which is modest for a state primary, and the school supports children with speech, language and communication needs, autistic spectrum disorder, and social, emotional and mental health needs.

The school offers a practical range of facilities for its young age group, including a sports hall, ICT suite, outdoor playground, sensory room, playing fields and even a chapel. Sports provision covers rounders, gymnastics, athletics, cross country, dance, football and cricket, while clubs include drama, choir, chess, art club and eco club. The nursery provision means children can start at three, and the school runs through to Year 2, so families will need to plan for a transfer at seven. The nearest Outstanding alternative is Woolenwick Infant and Nursery School, just one kilometre away, so parents in Stevenage have strong local options. Letchmore suits families who want an infant-focused setting with a proven track record of top-tier inspection grades, a broad range of activities for younger children, and clear SEND support, but who are comfortable with a mid-primary transition.

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