Roger De Clare First CofE School

About Roger De Clare First CofE School

Roger De Clare First CofE School, a state primary for children aged 3 to 9 in East Hertfordshire, sits in a local authority where the average Key Stage 2 score is 64. The school’s own most recent Ofsted inspection, in 2024, awarded it a Good rating across every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership, and early years provision — a clear improvement from its previous Requires Improvement judgement in 2021. While the school’s exact KS2 results aren’t published in this data, its current Ofsted profile suggests it is performing at a level that aligns well with the LA average, particularly given the jump from a grade 3 to a grade 2 in all measured areas. With 235 pupils against a capacity of 300, the school is not at full roll, yet it was oversubscribed for 2025/26 entry: 55 applications for 38 places, with 37 first-preference offers made. That oversubscription ratio of 1.45 indicates genuine local demand, and the school’s Church of England character likely adds to its appeal for families seeking a faith-based primary option.

Academically, the school’s trajectory is encouraging. The 2024 Ofsted report rates quality of education as Good, up from Requires Improvement in 2021, and the same improvement applies to early years provision, behaviour, and leadership. This suggests that teaching and curriculum delivery have strengthened under headteacher Laura Woods. The school’s percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is 13.1%, slightly below the national average, and it provides for a range of special educational needs, including moderate learning difficulty, speech and language communication needs, social and emotional mental health, and visual impairment. While no specific Progress 8 or KS2 attainment figures are available for the school itself, the LA average KS2 score of 64 provides a useful benchmark; parents would want to check the school’s own published results to see how its pupils compare. The absence of a sixth form is expected for a first school that finishes at age 9, so families will need to plan for the transition to a middle or junior school afterwards.

The school offers a solid range of facilities for its size, including an ICT suite, sports hall, art studios, playing fields, and a chapel, which reflects its Church of England foundation. Sports provision is broad, with athletics, netball, football, cricket, tennis, gymnastics, and swimming all on offer, plus clubs in drama, book club, and choir. Nursery provision is available, making it a potential choice for families wanting continuity from age 3 through to Year 4. The SEND provisions are clearly defined, which will reassure parents of children with specific needs, though the school is not a specialist setting. Given its oversubscribed status, families should apply early and consider the first-preference route, as 37 of the 38 places went to first-preference applicants in the most recent cycle. This school suits families who value a faith-based, improving primary with a strong local reputation and a broad extracurricular offer, particularly those who are comfortable with the first-school model and the transition it entails.

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