Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School
Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School is a voluntary controlled school in Welwyn Hatfield for pupils aged 3 to 11. It has a Church of England religious character. It has 77 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School is Good, from an inspection in September 2022. In 2025, 17% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
Ofsted inspection: September 2022. KS2 results: 2025.
| Type | Primary / Voluntary controlled school |
| Age Range | 3-11 |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | School Lane Essendon Hertfordshire AL9 6HD |
| Phone | 01707261209 |
| Reference Number | 117393 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 77 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 51.95%
Girls: 48.05% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 26.7% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 9.1% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 19.3 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 14 |
| Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher | 24.5 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 2 | 7 |
| 2 | 6 | 1 | 7 |
| 3 | 12 | 3 | 15 |
| 4 | 4 | 10 | 14 |
| 5 | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| 6 | 4 | 8 | 12 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 54.5% |
| White, Other | 6.5% |
| Indian | 5.2% |
| Mixed, Other | 3.9% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 2.6% |
| White & Asian | 1.3% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.3% |
Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School continues to demonstrate strong performance as a good school. The environment promotes respect and tolerance, allowing pupils to thrive both academically and socially. The school's ambitious curriculum is supported by well-trained teachers who effectively deliver subject content, helping to foster a love of reading and a high standard of achievement. Pupils engage in a variety of enrichment activities and leadership opportunities, contributing positively to their personal development and community involvement. However, there are notable areas for improvement, particularly in the early years provision where some aspects are not as rigorous as in other years. The need for stronger support in phonics and mathematics is crucial to ensure all pupils, especially those with special educational needs, receive the help they require without missing out on parts of the curriculum. Overall, while the school is effectively supporting its pupils, attention to specific areas can enhance the learning experience further.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| Last Report Date | 20 Jul 2022 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 20 Jul 2022 | School inspection |
| 28 Mar 2017 | Short inspection |
| 23 Apr 2013 | Full inspection: |
| 12 Oct 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 24 Apr 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 29 Apr 2002 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Pupils display tolerance and respect, inline with school values.
- Bullying is rare and managed sensitively when it occurs.
- Teachers have effective training leading to secure subject knowledge.
- Ambitious curriculum with logical learning sequences.
- Pupils enjoy enrichment opportunities such as visits and clubs.
- Strong emphasis on reading with diverse, high-quality book access.
- Pupils prepared well for life in modern Britain through PSHE education.
Areas for Improvement
- Some subjects are not taught weekly, leading to forgotten material.
- Early years provision lacks the same rigor as other year groups.
- Provision in early years does not cater closely to individual pupil needs.
- Some pupils miss curriculum parts due to being removed for additional support.
How many students meet the standards
| Reading, Writing & Maths | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 17% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Pupils meeting a higher standard | 8% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
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 | 107 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Maths | 98 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
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 | -1.5 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Writing | -3.7 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Maths | -5.1 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
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
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See how Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School ranks locally and nationally. Percentile rankings against every other school, historic result charts, admissions data and post-GCSE destinations are all included.
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Unlock for £9.99Reception admissions, 2026 entry
Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment
| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Second Preference | 2 | 0 |
| Third Preference | 2 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 0 | 0 |
Previous years
Sample
UnlockPlaces and pupil numbers
In 2024–25 Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School had 72 pupils for 105 places. 33 places (31.4%) were unfilled.
Pupils and places
Reception intake in the “Essendon Primary” planning area
Hertfordshire counted 8 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 8 in 2029–30, down 0%.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Places | 105 | 105 | 105 | 105 | 105 | 105 | 105 | 105 | 105 | 105 | 105 | 105 | 105 | 105 | 105 |
| Pupils | 90 | 93 | 89 | 92 | 87 | 91 | 89 | 79 | 88 | 83 | 90 | 88 | 88 | 80 | 72 |
| Unfilled | 14.3% | 11.4% | 15.2% | 12.4% | 17.1% | 13.3% | 15.2% | 24.8% | 16.2% | 21.0% | 14.3% | 16.2% | 16.2% | 23.8% | 31.4% |
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 Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School attended 93.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 6.8% | 6.7% | 6.0% | 5.2% | 8.0% | 5.1% | 5.1% | 5.9% | 7.0% | 7.0% | 4.5% |
| Unauthorised absence | 1.2% | 3.9% | 2.6% | 2.5% | 3.1% | 3.0% | 1.3% | 2.8% | 2.9% | 2.1% | 1.5% |
| Severely absent pupils | 3.9% | 2.5% | 0.0% | 2.7% | 1.3% | 6.0% | 3.7% | 0.0% | 2.4% | 5.1% | 2.8% |
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, 2.5% of pupils at Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 5.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7.6 | 7.4 | 5.4 | 8.1 | 8.8 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
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 Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School had 15.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 56.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 10.7 | 8.0 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 12.3 | 10.7 | 9.9 | 7.5 | 7.9 | 8.5 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 6.5 | 8.8 | 6.5 | 7.2 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 0.0% | 16.7% | 28.6% | 70.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 20.6% | 35.1% | 0.0% | 26.7% | 9.4% | 33.9% | 50.0% | 12.0% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 12.5% | 0.0% | 11.1% | 25.0% | 37.5% | 0.0% | 20.0% | 9.1% | 44.4% | – | 40.0% | 90.0% | 37.5% | 66.7% | 58.3% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 0.8 | 0.0 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 6.3 | – | 8.9 | 6.8 | 0.5 | 2.7 | 6.8 | – |
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, 13.0% of pupils at Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.2% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).
Pupils by main type of need
| SEN support | EHC plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Speech, language and communication needs | 2 | 1 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 2 | 0 |
| No specialist assessment of need | 2 | 0 |
| Social, emotional and mental health | 1 | 1 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 2 | 0 |
| Vision impairment | 1 | 1 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 0 | 1 |
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 Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School received £10,163 and spent £11,383 for each of its 76 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £4,000 (-£55 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £121,000 | £136,000 | £134,000 | £140,000 | £179,000 | £203,000 | £88,000 | -£4,000 |
| per pupil | £1,329 | £1,445 | £1,497 | £1,484 | £1,959 | £2,405 | £1,113 | -£55 |
| In-year balance | -£14,000 | £15,000 | -£2,000 | £6,000 | £40,000 | £24,000 | -£115,000 | -£93,000 |
| per pupil | -£149 | £158 | -£21 | £59 | £434 | £284 | -£1,443 | -£1,220 |
Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).
| Name | Distance |
|
Bayford Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Ashendene Road, Bayford, Hertford, Hertfordshire, SG13 8PX |
1.92 miles |
|
Commonswood Primary & Nursery School
The Commons, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 4RU |
1.95 miles |
|
Hertingfordbury Cowper Primary School
Birch Green, Hertford, Hertfordshire, SG14 2LR |
2.11 miles |
|
Ponsbourne St Mary's Church of England Primary School
Newgate Street Village, Hertford, Hertfordshire, SG13 8RA |
2.66 miles |
|
Watchlytes Primary School
Watchlytes, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 2AZ |
2.74 miles |
|
The Ryde School
Pleasant Rise, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL9 5DR |
2.75 miles |
|
Swallow Dell Primary and Nursery School
Blackthorn Road, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 3JP |
2.76 miles |
|
Creswick Academy
Sir John Newsom Way, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 4FL |
2.84 miles |
|
Countess Anne Church of England School
School Lane, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 8AX |
2.93 miles |
|
Holwell Primary School
Holwell Road, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 3RP |
2.94 miles |
|
Our Lady Catholic Primary School
Woodhall Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 3TF |
2.96 miles |
|
Ludwick Nursery School
Holwell Road, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 3RP |
2.97 miles |
|
Hertford Prep
St Mary's Lane, Hertingfordbury, Hertford, Hertfordshire, SG14 2LX |
2.98 miles |
|
Springmead Primary School
Hillyfields, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 2HB |
2.99 miles |
|
Panshanger Primary School
Daniells, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 1QY |
3.12 miles |
|
Oak View Primary and Nursery School
Woods Avenue, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 8NW |
3.18 miles |
|
Peartree Primary School
Peartree Primary School, Peartree Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 3XW |
3.18 miles |
|
St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School
Woods Avenue, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 8NN |
3.23 miles |
|
Southfield School
Woods Avenue, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 8NN |
3.23 miles |
|
Birchwood Avenue Primary School
Birchwood Avenue, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 0PS |
3.28 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
James Marks Academy
The Commons, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 4RZ |
1.96 miles |
|
Chancellor's School
Pine Grove, Brookmans Park, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL9 7BN |
2.77 miles |
|
Onslow St Audrey's School
Old Rectory Drive, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 8AB |
3.01 miles |
|
Ridgeway Academy
Herns Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 2AF |
3.06 miles |
|
Rhodes Wood Hospital School
Shepherds Way, Brookmans Park, Hatfield, AL9 6NN |
3.08 miles |
|
Bishop's Hatfield Girls' School
Woods Avenue, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 8NL |
3.27 miles |
|
The Sele School
Welwyn Road, Hertford, Hertfordshire, SG14 2DG |
3.27 miles |
|
Queenswood School
Shepherd's Way, Hatfield, AL9 6NS |
3.31 miles |
|
Stanborough School
Lemsford Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 6YR |
3.57 miles |
|
Lakeside School
Lemsford Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 6YN |
3.75 miles |
|
Richard Hale School
Hale Road, Hertford, Hertfordshire, SG13 8EN |
3.75 miles |
|
Simon Balle All-Through School
Mangrove Road, Hertford, Hertfordshire, SG13 8AJ |
4.09 miles |
|
Gracewood Academy
Church Road, Rothwell, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 1EZ |
4.3 miles |
|
Monk's Walk School
Knightsfield, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 7NL |
4.8 miles |
|
Fenton Grange School
Caretech Community Services, 5th Floor, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, EN6 1AG |
4.82 miles |
|
Chase House School
C/O Cambian Education, 5th Floor metropolitan House, 3 Darkes lane, Potters Bar, EN6 1AG |
4.83 miles |
|
The Orchard School
Orchard School, C/O Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, EN6 1AG |
4.83 miles |
|
Knightsfield School
Knightsfield, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 7LW |
4.86 miles |
All schools in Welwyn Hatfield · Hertfordshire local authority: places and applications
What is Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School is Good, from an inspection in September 2022.
When was Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?
Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School was last inspected in September 2022.
How many pupils does Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School have?
Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School has 77 pupils on roll.
What age range does Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School cover?
Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.
What are Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?
In 2025, 17% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
Where is Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School?
Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School is at School Lane, Essendon, Hertfordshire, AL9 6HD.