St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chipperfield

About St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Chipperfield

St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School in Chipperfield hits the local authority average for KS2 expected standard in reading, writing and maths exactly, with 64% of pupils meeting that benchmark. That places it in the middle of the pack among Hertfordshire primary schools, but the detail beneath the headline tells a more nuanced story. Reading is the clear strength: 84% of pupils reached the expected standard and 32% hit the higher standard, compared with 76% and 28% in writing and 76% and 20% in maths. The average scaled scores of 109 in reading and 106 in maths sit comfortably above the national floor of 100. In its most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2019, the school was rated Good overall, with leadership and management also Good. An ungraded inspection in June 2024 confirmed the school remains Good, though this represents a step down from the Outstanding grade it held in its previous graded inspection in 2014. Within Dacorum, the school ranks 19th out of 47 primary schools, placing it in the top half locally.

Academically, the school delivers outcomes that are solidly in line with the Hertfordshire average, neither outperforming nor underperforming the county norm. The 64% figure for the combined expected standard matches the LA average exactly, so families can expect results typical of the area. Reading is the standout subject, with 84% of pupils reaching the expected standard and nearly a third achieving the higher standard. Writing and maths both sit at 76% for the expected standard, with higher-standard figures of 28% and 20% respectively. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it is not possible to say whether pupils arrive above or below where they should be, but the scaled scores suggest pupils are performing well against national benchmarks. The school's ranking score of 64 places it in the top 50% nationally, and within Dacorum it sits 182nd out of 401 primary schools of the same type. For a village primary, these are respectable, consistent results that should reassure parents looking for a reliable local option.

For families considering St Paul's, the practical details are important. The school is oversubscribed: for 28 places in the 2025/26 intake, it received 71 applications, with 26 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.54. It serves 206 pupils against a capacity of 240, so there is some headroom but demand clearly outstrips supply. Facilities are strong for a village primary, including an ICT suite, art studios, sports hall, playing fields, a sensory room, gymnasium, library, forest school and chapel. SEND provision covers specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. The school has nursery provision for children from age three, and clubs include chess, drama, coding and art. With a Church of England character and a headteacher in Luke Varney, this is a well-equipped, popular village school that suits families who value a broad curriculum, strong reading outcomes and a supportive SEND offer, but who need to be realistic about securing a place.

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