Sauncey Wood Primary School

Sauncey Wood Primary is a friendly, welcoming school where pupils behave well and feel a strong sense of belonging. The recent appointment of a new senior leadership team has driven rapid improvement, and governors are now well informed and effective in supporting and challenging leaders. Pupils with SEND, including those in the specialist resource provision for speech, language and communication needs and autism, are very well supported and achieve well from their starting points. The curriculum is ambitious and generally well sequenced, reading is a clear priority, and teaching typically uses clear explanations and effective questioning. Behaviour has improved since the previous inspection, personal development is strong, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. However, some pupils do not attend regularly enough, and in a few subjects the new curriculum is not yet fully embedded, so pupils' written work does not always reflect the depth of their knowledge. Early years provision also needs clearer learning goals in some areas so children are better prepared for Year 1.

Strengths

• Pupils are polite, welcoming and settle quickly, including those new to the school.
• Strong relationships and respectful behaviour create a calm and purposeful atmosphere.
• Pupils with SEND are very well supported, including through the specialist resource provision.
• The curriculum is ambitious and sets out clear knowledge progression.
• Teaching typically provides clear explanations, practice opportunities and effective questioning.
• Reading is a priority, with well-taught phonics and increasing numbers of fluent readers.
• Behaviour has improved through high expectations and a consistent approach.
• Personal development prepares pupils well through assemblies, themed weeks and pupil roles.
• The new leadership team has made rapid improvements with strong governor support.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• Attendance systems are not effective enough, and some pupils miss important learning and social opportunities.
• In a few subjects, the newly reviewed curriculum is not fully embedded and teaching is inconsistent.
• Some pupils' written work does not reflect the depth of their understanding.
• Early years curriculum lacks precise learning goals in some areas, leaving some children less well prepared for Year 1.

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 Sauncey Wood Primary School attended 93.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 20.7% 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, 7.1% of pupils at Sauncey Wood Primary 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 Sauncey Wood Primary School had 13.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 27.3% 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, 21.1% of pupils at Sauncey Wood Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 13.6% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has a SEN unit with 9 pupils.

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 Sauncey Wood Primary School received £11,259 and spent £11,406 for each of its 147 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £77,000 (£525 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 Harpenden · Hertfordshire local authority: places and applications

What is Sauncey Wood Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Sauncey Wood Primary School is Good, from an inspection in June 2025.

When was Sauncey Wood Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Sauncey Wood Primary School was last inspected in June 2025.

How many pupils does Sauncey Wood Primary School have?

Sauncey Wood Primary School has 147 pupils on roll.

What age range does Sauncey Wood Primary School cover?

Sauncey Wood Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Sauncey Wood Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 59% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Sauncey Wood Primary School?

Sauncey Wood Primary School is at Pickford Hill, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 5HL.