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Wood End School

St Albans, AL5 3EFPrimaryAges 4–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Outstanding
Nov 2023
KS2 Results
92%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
1.5×
Oversubscribed
88 1st-choice / 60 places
Ranking
🏆Top 5%
#191 of 13,686 nationally

About Wood End School

Wood End School in St Albans is a state primary that is significantly oversubscribed, a clear signal of its local reputation. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 163 applications for just 60 places, with 88 families listing it as their first preference. This demand is understandable given its pupil count of 460, which already slightly exceeds its official capacity of 450. The school’s intake is notably less diverse in terms of economic disadvantage than the national picture; only 1. 8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared to a typical national average of around 23%. This suggests a predominantly affluent catchment area, and the school’s popularity among local families is reflected in its oversubscription ratio of 2. 72 applicants per place. Headteacher Richard Boulton leads a mixed-gender, non-religious primary for children aged 4 to 11, which also offers nursery provision.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range4 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressYeomans Avenue, Harpenden, St Albans, AL5 3EF
HeadteacherRichard Boulton
Local AuthorityHertfordshire
Number of Pupils460
Free School Meals (FSM)1.8%
School Capacity460 / 450 (102% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

14 Nov 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of Education
Outstanding
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
Early Years Provision
Outstanding

Source: Ofsted, 30 Jan 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingPhysical

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:45 – 15:10

Breakfast club

07:45-08:45

After-school care

15:10-18:00

Source: woodend.herts.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Wood End School

Wood End School has been rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted. This means the school provides an exceptional quality of education, and pupils thrive both academically and personally.