Saffron Walden County High School
103%
Capacity
2,119
Pupils
1.9x
Demand
About Saffron Walden County High School
Saffron Walden County High School’s headline Progress 8 score of 0.28 places it well above the Essex local authority average of -0.18, meaning its pupils achieve nearly a third of a grade higher per subject than students across the county. This is a significant gap, and it’s backed up by a strong Attainment 8 score of 56.7, which is comfortably above the national benchmark. The school ranks 11th out of 86 state secondaries in Essex, putting it in the top 15% of schools in the county. It’s also the highest-ranked school in the Uttlesford district, ahead of three other local secondaries. With an Ofsted rating of Outstanding across every category in its most recent inspection, including behaviour, personal development and sixth-form provision, this is a school that consistently delivers results above the norm for its area.
Academically, the school’s performance is strong across the board. At GCSE, 81.6% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and 59.4% reached the English Baccalaureate measure at that threshold. The EBacc average point score sits at 5.42, which is roughly equivalent to a strong pass across the five EBacc subject areas. In the sixth form, the school’s value-added score of 0.17 is rated as above average, and the average points per entry of 39.21 translates to a solid B grade. The best three A-levels average out at a B grade too, with 19.4% of entries achieving AAB or higher. The school’s Progress 8 banding is officially ‘Above average’, and the confidence interval for that score sits between 0.12 and 0.45, so even at the lower end it remains positive.
The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 559 applications for 298 places, with 367 of those as first preferences. That’s a ratio of nearly two applicants per place, so families need to be prepared for a competitive admissions process. Facilities include a swimming pool, theatre, sixth form centre and dedicated science labs, and the extracurricular offer is broad, with rowing, martial arts, coding, Model UN and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award all available. SEND provision is comprehensive, covering dyslexia, autism, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities among others. With 9.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school is not especially affluent, but its academic outcomes suggest it serves its community well. This is a strong choice for families who want a large, high-performing comprehensive with a proven track record and a thriving sixth form.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Audley End Road, Saffron Walden, Uttlesford, CB11 4UH |
| Headteacher | Polly Lankester |
| Local Authority | Essex |
| Number of Pupils | 2,119 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 9.9% |
| School Capacity | 2,119 / 2,050 (103% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
26 Mar 2024Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 13 May 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.28)
885th of 3,141
Nationally
92nd of 350
In East of England
1st of 4
In Uttlesford
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
43.6
'22/23
38.4
'23/24
39.2
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2377%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 288 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)77%
- FE college11%
- Sixth form college5%
- Not sustained2%
- Apprenticeship1%
- Employment1%
97% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2365%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 333 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
36%
Russell Group
37%
Top-third HE
2%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)65%
- Employment22%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Not sustained3%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Mathematics68
- Psychology62
- History57
- Biology48
- Business Studies:Single46
- Geography46
- English Literature38
- Economics34
- Sociology31
- Physics30
- Chemistry29
- English Language25
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed298
559
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
367 families put this school as their 1st choice (66% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British83.1%
- White (other)6.7%
- Mixed4.5%
- Asian2.1%
- Black0.5%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
7
Total schools
5
Oversubscribed
6
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Saffron Walden County High School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Audley End Road, Saffron Walden
Uttlesford, CB11 4UH
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
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