Newberries Primary School

About Newberries Primary School

Newberries Primary School in Hertsmere is a state primary for mixed pupils aged 4 to 11, currently home to 198 children against a capacity of 210. That leaves a little breathing room, but the school is clearly in demand: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 110 applications for just 28 places, an oversubscription ratio of 3.93 to one. Of those, 27 were first-preference offers, meaning nearly every place went to families who had it as their top choice. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals sits at 9.6%, which is below the national average for primary schools, suggesting a relatively affluent local intake. The school is non-religious and led by headteacher Ness Peters, who took over at some point before the most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022.

Academically, Newberries performs well above the local authority average. At Key Stage 2, 72% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Hertfordshire average of 64%. In reading, 89% hit the expected mark, and the average scaled score was 107, while in maths 78% reached the expected level with an average score of 105. The proportion achieving the higher standard across all three subjects was 11%, with 28% reaching that level in reading and 22% in both maths and writing. The school ranks 10th out of 29 primary schools in the Hertsmere local authority area, placing it in the top 35% locally, and 3,637th nationally out of 13,686. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2022 rated it Good across all categories, including behaviour, leadership and early years provision, a consistent grade it has held since at least its previous inspection in 2011.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a forest school, sensory room, music rooms, art studios and a chapel, plus sports such as football, cricket, netball, gymnastics, tennis and swimming. Clubs include coding, drama, science and gardening. SEND provision is broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder and social, emotional and mental health support. With no nursery or sixth form, it is a straightforward primary for families seeking a well-regarded local school in a competitive admissions area. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Yavneh Primary School, 4.2 km away, so for many families Newberries will be the strongest option within reach. It suits families who value strong academic outcomes, a broad extracurricular offer and a school that is clearly popular with local parents.

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