Cowley Hill School

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.

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.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Cowley Hill School attended 94.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 16.5% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 1.4% of pupils at Cowley Hill School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Cowley Hill School had 20.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.4% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 18.8% of pupils at Cowley Hill School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.4% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Cowley Hill School received £6,459 and spent £6,961 for each of its 411 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £442,000 (£1,077 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Borehamwood · Hertfordshire local authority: places and applications

What is Cowley Hill School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Cowley Hill School is Expected standard, from an inspection in March 2026.

When was Cowley Hill School last inspected by Ofsted?

Cowley Hill School was last inspected in March 2026.

How many pupils does Cowley Hill School have?

Cowley Hill School has 416 pupils on roll.

What age range does Cowley Hill School cover?

Cowley Hill School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Cowley Hill School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Cowley Hill School?

Cowley Hill School is at Winstre Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 5DP.