Stapleford Primary School

About Stapleford Primary School

Stapleford Primary School is a Church of England primary in Hertfordshire, a local authority with 401 primary schools and 45 rated Outstanding by Ofsted. The school sits 16th out of 47 primaries in the East Hertfordshire district, placing it in the top third locally and in the top 25% nationally. Among its closest performing peers are Little Gaddesden Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School and Harvey Road Primary School, both of which achieved the maximum ranking score of 100, and The Russell School with a score of 97. Stapleford itself holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2024, a grade it has maintained consistently across both its recent inspections. The school serves 74 pupils from ages 3 to 11, with capacity for 96, and has a below-average proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 7.4%. It is led by headteacher James Shillito and offers nursery provision for younger children.

Academically, Stapleford 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%. The school’s reading scores are particularly strong: the average scaled score was 109, with 55% of pupils achieving a higher standard, and 82% met the expected standard in reading. In maths, the average score was 105, with 82% reaching the expected level and 27% achieving a higher standard. Writing saw 73% at expected and 18% at a higher level. Progress scores are not available in the data, but the attainment figures place the school in the top 25% nationally for combined expected standards. Ofsted rated all inspected areas as Good in 2024, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and early years provision.

The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 23 applications for just 7 places, with all 7 first-preference applicants offered a spot, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.29. Facilities include a library, playing fields, dining hall, music rooms, a sensory room, gymnasium and chapel. Sports provision covers cross country, cricket, football, netball, dance, swimming and athletics, while clubs include coding, chess, film club, science club and book club. Stapleford offers SEND support for social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Bengeo Primary School, 3.2 km away. Stapleford suits families seeking a small, church-affiliated village primary with strong academic outcomes, a broad range of activities, and a clear focus on early years and SEND provision.

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