Oakmere Primary School

About Oakmere Primary School

Oakmere Primary School in Hertsmere serves a notably diverse intake, with 36.3% of pupils eligible for free school meals, well above the national average for primary schools. Its headline Key Stage 2 results present a mixed picture against the local authority average. While the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined sits at 49%, this is 15 percentage points below the Hertfordshire average of 64%. The school ranks 270th out of 401 primary schools in the county, placing it in the bottom half locally. However, individual subject scores tell a more nuanced story: 69% of pupils met the expected standard in writing and 66% in maths, with maths achieving a higher average scaled score of 103. Reading, at 51% expected, is the weaker area. The proportion achieving the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined is just 9%, and the school ranks 23rd out of 29 primary schools within the narrower Hertsmere district.

Academically, Oakmere is a school in transition. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2024 upgraded the school from Requires Improvement to Good across all key areas, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership. Headteacher Ayshen Wilson has overseen this turnaround, with inspectors noting that personal development and early years provision are now also Good. Parent feedback is broadly positive but not without reservations: 75% of respondents would recommend the school, and strong majorities agree their child is happy (78% agree or strongly agree) and feels safe (75%). However, only 58% feel the school has high expectations for their child, and 39% disagree that concerns are dealt with properly. The school has capacity for 247 pupils against a published capacity of 240, and for the 2025/26 intake it received 32 applications for 33 places, meaning it is not oversubscribed.

Oakmere offers a solid range of facilities for a primary school, including a forest school, sensory room, music rooms and a chapel, plus clubs spanning science, drama, coding and gardening. Sports provision covers cricket, netball, dance and athletics. The school has a nursery for children aged three and above, and its SEND support is comprehensive, with provisions for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, hearing impairment and physical disabilities, among others. That said, the Parent View data on SEND support is inconclusive, with no responses recorded for that question. For families weighing up options in the Hertsmere area, Oakmere is a school that has demonstrably improved its Ofsted rating and offers a broad curriculum, but whose academic outcomes, particularly in reading, lag behind the local average. It may particularly suit families who value the forest school and strong pastoral support over headline exam scores.

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