Panshanger Primary School

About Panshanger Primary School

Parents considering Panshanger Primary School will find strong signals that the school is well-regarded locally. The school is significantly oversubscribed, with 111 applications for just 30 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.7 to one. Of those 111 applications, 35 were first-preference choices, and 29 first-preference offers were made, indicating that while competition is high, a first-preference application gives a very strong chance of success. The school is a state primary for mixed genders aged 3 to 11, with nursery provision available, and is led by headteacher Ben Longland. It has a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has held consistently across its two most recent inspections, the latest of which took place in March 2023. With 238 pupils on roll against a capacity of 240, the school is operating very close to full, which further underlines its popularity among local families.

Academically, Panshanger Primary performs well above the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 73% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Hertfordshire average of 64%. This places the school 8th out of 34 primary schools in the Welwyn Hatfield local authority area, putting it in the top 25% nationally. Looking at individual subjects, 87% of pupils met the expected standard in writing, 83% in maths, and 80% in reading. At the higher standard, 37% achieved that level in reading, 20% in maths, and 7% in both writing and the combined measure. Average scaled scores were 105 in reading and 104 in maths, both above the national benchmark of 100. The school’s Ofsted inspection rated all areas as Good, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and early years provision.

The school offers a solid range of facilities and extracurricular activities. On site there is a sensory room, music rooms, art studios, an ICT suite, a sports hall, a gymnasium, a library, and a chapel. Sports provision includes tennis, football, athletics, cross country, cricket, and swimming, while clubs cover drama, choir, chess, film club, science club, and gardening. For children with additional needs, the school has identified SEND provisions for moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing impairment, autistic spectrum disorder, and other difficulties or disabilities. With 8.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a relatively low-deprivation intake. This is a school that suits families who want strong academic outcomes in a popular, well-subscribed setting, and who are prepared to apply as a first preference to secure a place.

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