St Mary's Church of England VA Primary School, Welham Green

About St Mary's Church of England VA Primary School, Welham Green

St Mary's Church of England VA Primary School in Welham Green received a Requires Improvement rating from Ofsted following its graded inspection in March 2025, a drop from the Good rating it held in its previous inspection in 2019. The most telling academic metric is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which stood at just 32% in the 2023/24 academic year. That is half the local authority average of 64% for primary schools in Hertfordshire. The school's average scores in reading and maths were 99 and 98 respectively, both below the national benchmark of 100. Only 7% of pupils reached the higher standard in reading, and none did so in writing. In the Welwyn Hatfield local area, the school ranks 34th out of 34 primary schools, placing it in the bottom 50% nationally.

The Ofsted breakdown reveals a mixed picture. Behaviour and attitudes, as well as leadership and management, were both judged Requires Improvement, while personal development was rated Good. Early years provision also requires improvement. The school has a relatively small roll of 157 pupils against a capacity of 210, and 28.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. Parent View responses, based on 40 respondents, show that 88% would recommend the school. However, only 50% of parents strongly agreed or agreed that the school makes them aware of what their child will learn, and 25% disagreed with that statement. On SEND support, 60% of parents strongly agreed or agreed that children get the support they need, but 20% disagreed and 20% strongly disagreed.

The school offers a range of facilities including a library, playing fields, art studios, a sensory room, a gymnasium, a sports hall, a forest school and a chapel. Sports on offer include netball, athletics, rounders, swimming and cricket, and clubs include coding, chess, film club and science club. SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. The school was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, with 25 applications for 22 places and 16 first-preference offers. This is a school that may suit families who value its Church of England character and small size, but the academic outcomes and Ofsted rating suggest it is currently facing significant challenges that prospective parents will want to explore further.

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