Cowley Hill School
| Type | Primary / Community school |
| Age Range | 3-11 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Winstre Road Borehamwood Hertfordshire WD6 5DP |
| Phone | 02089532218 |
| Reference Number | 117099 |
Cowley Hill School is performing well overall, with strong standards in various areas, particularly in pupil achievement and safeguarding. Leaders have effectively established a safe environment where pupils feel supported, and the school demonstrates a commitment to improving attendance. Pupils make steady progress in their learning, especially in reading and mathematics, performing above the national average in some areas. However, attention is needed in writing, where progress is not as consistent across all groups of pupils. The school has undergone leadership changes since its last inspection but continues to maintain positive relationships with parents and the community.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 424 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 48.11%
Girls: 51.89% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 26.8% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 44.1% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 27.3 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 28.5 |
| Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher | 28.8 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 | 32 | 58 |
| 2 | 28 | 27 | 55 |
| 3 | 28 | 31 | 59 |
| 4 | 25 | 30 | 55 |
| 5 | 27 | 31 | 58 |
| 6 | 27 | 29 | 56 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 40.3% |
| White, Other | 30.9% |
| African | 7.5% |
| Mixed, Other | 3.5% |
| Indian | 3.3% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 2.8% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.9% |
| Asian, Other | 1.9% |
| White & Asian | 0.9% |
| Pakistani | 0.7% |
| Chinese | 0.5% |
| Unclassified | 0.5% |
| Irish | 0.2% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Expected standard |
| > Leadership & Governance | Expected standard |
| > Personal Development & Wellbeing | Expected standard |
| > Achievement | Expected standard |
| > Attendance & Behaviour | Expected standard |
| > Curriculum & Teaching | Expected standard |
| > Inclusion | Expected standard |
| > Early Years | Expected standard |
| Last Report Date | 13 Jan 2026 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 13 Jan 2026 | School inspection |
| 05 Oct 2021 | School inspection |
| 12 Jul 2016 | Short inspection |
| 05 Dec 2011 | Full inspection |
| 29 Jun 2009 | Full inspection |
| 25 Apr 2006 | Full inspection |
| 18 Oct 1999 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Strong achievement in reading and mathematics above the national average.
- Effective safeguarding culture ensuring pupils feel safe.
- Good strategies in place to improve pupils' attendance.
- Positive and calm school environment conducive to learning.
- Carefully planned curriculum with a focus on important knowledge and skills.
- Well-trained staff effectively support pupils with special educational needs.
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent progress in writing across all year groups.
- Some activities limit pupil independence during learning.
How many students meet the standards
| Reading, Writing & Maths | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 75% | ||
| Pupils meeting a higher standard | 12% |
Average Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
| Subject | School | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 106 | ||
| Maths | 106 |
Progress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 2.2 | ||
| Writing | 0.9 | ||
| Maths | 2.5 |
How many students meet the standards
Sample
UnlockAverage Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
Sample
UnlockProgress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
Sample
UnlockUnlock Premium
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 34 | 5 |
| Third Preference | 28 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 0 | 0 |
Previous Years
Sample
Unlock| Name | Distance |
|
Woodlands Primary School
Alban Crescent, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 5JF |
0.14 miles |
|
St Teresa Catholic Primary School
Brook Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 5HL |
0.34 miles |
|
Parkside Community Primary School
Aycliffe Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 4EP |
0.49 miles |
|
Meryfield Primary School
Theobald Street, Theobald Street, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 4PA |
0.59 miles |
|
Monksmead School
Hillside Avenue, Monksmead School, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 1HL |
0.78 miles |
|
Yavneh Primary School
Hillside Avenue, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 1HL |
0.79 miles |
|
Kenilworth Primary School
Kenilworth Drive, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 1QL |
0.99 miles |
|
Summerswood Primary School
Furzehill Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 2DW |
1.03 miles |
|
Saffron Green Primary School
Nicoll Way, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 2PP |
1.31 miles |
|
Hertsmere Jewish Primary School
Watling Street, Radlett, Hertfordshire, WD7 7LQ |
1.45 miles |
|
Radlett Preparatory School Ltd
Kendal Hall, Watling Street, Radlett, Herts, WD7 7LY |
1.47 miles |
|
St Nicholas Elstree Church of England VA Primary School
St Nicholas Close, Elstree, Hertfordshire, WD6 3EW |
1.69 miles |
|
Shenley Primary School
London Road, Shenley, Radlett, Hertfordshire, WD7 9DX |
1.79 miles |
|
Newberries Primary School
Newberries Avenue, Radlett, Hertfordshire, WD7 7EL |
1.9 miles |
|
Saracens Broadfields
Roseberry Drive, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 8JP |
2.43 miles |
|
Rosh Pinah Primary School
Glengall Road, Edgware, HA8 8TE |
2.62 miles |
|
St John's Church of England Infant and Nursery School
Gills Hill Lane, Radlett, Hertfordshire, WD7 8DD |
2.63 miles |
|
Christ Church Primary School
Byng Road, Christ Church Primary School, Barnet, Hertfordshire, EN5 4NS |
2.66 miles |
|
Fairway Primary School and Children's Centre
The Fairway, London, NW7 3HS |
2.69 miles |
|
Whitings Hill Primary School
Whitings Road, Barnet, Hertfordshire, EN5 2QY |
2.71 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Hertswood Academy
Cowley Hill, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 5LG |
0.32 miles |
|
Elstree Screen Arts Academy
Studio Way, Elstree, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 5NN |
0.59 miles |
|
Yavneh College
Hillside Avenue, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 1HL |
0.76 miles |
|
Haberdashers' Boys' School
|
1.8 miles |
|
Haberdashers' Girls' School
Aldenham Road, Borehamwood, WD6 3BT |
1.8 miles |
|
Aldenham School
Elstree, Elstree, WD6 3AJ |
2.34 miles |
|
Mill Hill County High School
Worcester Crescent, Mill Hill, London, NW7 4LL |
2.67 miles |
|
Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet
Queen's Road, Barnet, Hertfordshire, EN5 4DQ |
2.68 miles |
|
Northway School
The Fairway, Mill Hill, London, NW7 3HS |
2.68 miles |
|
Radlett Lodge School
Harper Lane, Radlett, Hertfordshire, WD7 9HW |
2.86 miles |
|
London Academy
Spur Road, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 8DE |
2.94 miles |
|
Immanuel College
87-91 Elstree Road, Bushey, WD23 4EB |
3.09 miles |
|
Barnet and Southgate College
Wood Street, Barnet, Hertfordshire, EN5 4AZ |
3.23 miles |
|
Susi Earnshaw Theatre School
68 High Street, Barnet, Hertfordshire, EN5 5SJ |
3.24 miles |
|
The Windmill School
Moxon Street, Barnet, EN5 5TS |
3.29 miles |
|
Dame Alice Owen's School
Dugdale Hill Lane, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 2DU |
3.35 miles |
|
Queen Elizabeth's Girls' School
High Street, Barnet, Hertfordshire, EN5 5RR |
3.4 miles |
|
Bushey Meads School
Coldharbour Lane, Bushey, Hertfordshire, WD23 4PA |
3.43 miles |
|
The Totteridge Academy
Barnet Lane, Barnet, London, N20 8AZ |
3.6 miles |
|
Mount House School
Camlet Way, Barnet, EN4 0NJ |
3.61 miles |