William Ransom Primary School

About William Ransom Primary School

If you're looking for a school where parents are genuinely happy, the numbers from William Ransom Primary School's Parent View survey are striking. Of the 198 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, a remarkable 97% of parents said they would recommend the school. That's an exceptionally high figure. Digging into the detail, 84% of parents strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school, and 89% strongly agreed that their child feels safe. On behaviour, 75% strongly agreed the school ensures pupils are well behaved, and 83% strongly agreed that children with SEND get the support they need. The school is also heavily oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 academic year, there were 205 applications for just 60 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.42. Of those, 58 were first-preference applications, and 51 of those families got a place, so it's a school many local families are keen to get into.

Academically, William Ransom performs well above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 72% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Hertfordshire local authority average of 64%. The school ranks 10th out of 38 primary schools in North Hertfordshire on this measure, placing it in the top 26% nationally. In reading, 92% of pupils hit the expected standard and 53% reached the higher standard. Maths scores were also strong, with an average scaled score of 106 and 83% reaching the expected standard. However, the school's most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2025 rated it as Requires Improvement overall, with leadership and management and quality of education both requiring improvement. Behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and early years provision were all judged Good. This is a notable drop from its previous inspection in 2014, when it was rated Outstanding across the board.

The school sits on a site with playing fields, a library, music rooms, a chapel and a Forest School area, and offers clubs including drama, eco club, choir, chess and film club. Sports on offer include football, gymnastics, dance, netball and cricket. SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 422 pupils on roll against a capacity of 420, the school is effectively full, and only 2.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the national average. This is a school that clearly has strong local support and happy families, but the recent Ofsted downgrade is something to weigh up. It will suit parents who prioritise a positive, safe environment and strong academic outcomes over the current inspection rating, and who are comfortable with a school that is very popular and therefore competitive to get into.

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