Summerswood Primary School

About Summerswood Primary School

Summerswood Primary School in Borehamwood was rated Requires Improvement in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024, with every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — judged to require improvement. The school’s most telling academic metric is its Key Stage 2 combined reading, writing and maths expected standard: just 21% of pupils reached that benchmark in 2023/24. That is dramatically below the Hertfordshire local authority average of 64% for primary schools. Only 3% of pupils achieved the higher standard in all three subjects. In reading, 53% met the expected level, while in writing it was 39% and in maths 42%. Average scaled scores were 99 for reading and 97 for maths. Nationally, Summerswood ranks in the bottom 1% of primary schools on this combined measure, and 28th out of 29 schools in the Hertsmere local area.

The school’s Progress 8 scores are not available, so it is hard to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points. But the raw outcomes paint a clear picture: most children are not reaching age-related expectations by Year 6. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 26.9%, above the national average, which may partly explain the challenge. In its previous inspection, the school was rated Good across the board, so the current rating represents a significant decline. The Ofsted report from 2024 will likely detail specific weaknesses in curriculum delivery and leadership. For parents weighing up options, the nearest Outstanding-rated alternative is Yavneh Primary School, just 0.4 km away, which may be a more obvious choice if places are available.

Summerswood is a mixed, non-religious state primary for ages 3 to 11, with nursery provision and a capacity of 486. It currently has 373 pupils on roll. The school was oversubscribed for 2025/26 reception places, with 79 applications for 36 places and 35 first-preference offers — a ratio of 2.19 applicants per place. Facilities include a sports hall, sensory room, outdoor playground, ICT suite, dining hall and a chapel. Sports on offer include football, netball, cricket, athletics, rounders and cross country, while clubs range from coding and chess to gardening, drama and book club. The school lists SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech, language and communication needs, social, emotional and mental health needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that may suit families who value a broad range of extracurricular activities and on-site specialist support, but who are prepared for the fact that academic outcomes are currently well below local averages.

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