Samuel Lucas Primary School

Samuel Lucas Junior Mixed and Infant School has maintained its outstanding performance since its last inspection in 2009. The school community thrives in a vibrant environment where pupils are motivated to learn and excel academically and personally. Notable strengths include the ambitious curriculum that is meticulously planned and regularly reviewed, ensuring that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive the support they need to succeed. The leadership team is dedicated to fostering a culture of high expectations and well-being among staff, contributing to the overall positive atmosphere of the school.

Strengths

• Highly ambitious and well-planned curriculum.
• Strong achievement across all pupil groups, including disadvantaged and SEND students.
• Pupils exhibit exemplary behavior and positive attitudes toward learning.
• Rich musical and physical education experiences for all pupils.
• Effective leadership and a supportive governing body.
• High-quality early years provision fostering confident and curious learners.

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 Samuel Lucas Primary School attended 95.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.1% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Samuel Lucas 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 Samuel Lucas Primary School had 23.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 9.6% of pupils at Samuel Lucas Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.8% 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 Samuel Lucas Primary School received £6,175 and spent £6,149 for each of its 416 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £51,000 (£123 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 Hitchin · Hertfordshire local authority: places and applications

What is Samuel Lucas Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Samuel Lucas Primary School is Outstanding, from an inspection in November 2023.

When was Samuel Lucas Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Samuel Lucas Primary School was last inspected in November 2023.

How many pupils does Samuel Lucas Primary School have?

Samuel Lucas Primary School has 416 pupils on roll.

What age range does Samuel Lucas Primary School cover?

Samuel Lucas Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Samuel Lucas Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Samuel Lucas Primary School?

Samuel Lucas Primary School is at Gaping Lane, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 2JQ.