Swallow Dell Primary and Nursery School
About Swallow Dell Primary and Nursery School
Swallow Dell Primary and Nursery School in Welwyn Hatfield is a mixed state primary for ages 3 to 11 that is clearly in demand. With 422 pupils on roll against a capacity of 450, the school is nearly full, and its admission data for 2025/26 confirms it is oversubscribed: 116 applications were received for just 53 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2. 19. Only 48 first-preference offers were made, meaning a significant number of families who put it first missed out. The school serves a community with above-average levels of disadvantage — 28. 5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national primary average of around 23%. This context matters when interpreting the school’s academic results, as schools with higher FSM rates often face additional challenges. The headteacher is James Berry, and the school has no religious character.
Key Details
The full report on this school
What 103 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
24 Jun 2025From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.
Source: Ofsted, 9 Sept 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 15:15
Breakfast club
07:30-08:40
After-school care
15:15-17:30
Source: swallowdell.herts.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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