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St John's CofE Primary School

Primary Ages 3-11 224 pupils Welwyn
Ofsted: Good
All schools in Welwyn

St John's CofE Primary School is a voluntary aided school in Welwyn for pupils aged 3 to 11. It has a Church of England religious character. It has 224 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for St John's CofE Primary School is Good, from an inspection in June 2023. In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Ofsted inspection: June 2023. KS2 results: 2025.

Type Primary / Voluntary aided school
Age Range 3-11
Religion Church of England
Address Hertford Road
Digswell
Welwyn
Hertfordshire
AL6 0BX
Phone 01438714283
Reference Number 117460

General Makeup

Number of pupils 224
Boy/Girl ratio Boys: 57.14%
Girls: 42.86%
Percentage of students eligible for free school meals 9.2%
Percentage of students where English is not their first language 5.4%

Class Sizes

Average size of one teacher classes 25.7
Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher 29

Year Groups

Year Boys Girls Total
1 21 8 29
2 19 11 30
3 13 17 30
4 14 17 31
5 15 15 30
6 19 8 27

Ethnicities

Ethnicity Percentage
White, British 71.9%
White, Other 5.8%
White & Asian 4.9%
Indian 4%
Unclassified 2.7%
Mixed, Other 2.7%
African 2.2%
Caribbean 1.8%
White & Black (Caribbean) 1.3%
White & Black (African) 1.3%
Chinese 0.9%

St John’s CofE Primary School continues to demonstrate good overall performance, providing a supportive and engaging environment for pupils. Students actively enjoy their learning and feel safe in school, supported by positive relationships with both peers and staff. The school has successfully integrated a broad curriculum and created a positive culture for high achievement among all students, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Leaders are ambitious and have structured learning in a way that builds knowledge effectively over time, promoting both academic and personal development.

Overall Ofsted Rating Good
Last Report Date 19 Apr 2023
Date Report
19 Apr 2023 School inspection
08 Nov 2017 Short inspection
16 Jul 2013 Full inspection:
05 May 2011 Full inspection:
25 Feb 2008 Full inspection:
03 Feb 2003 Full inspection

Strengths

  • Pupils demonstrate a strong enthusiasm for learning.
  • Behaviour across the school is consistently positive and respectful.
  • The curriculum is well-organized and supports progressive learning.
  • Leaders effectively support teachers and manage staff wellbeing.
  • Pupils with SEND receive tailored support and achieve well.
  • There are numerous extracurricular activities that enhance learning.

Areas for Improvement

  • Some teachers are still developing phonics teaching strategies, impacting reading progress for a few pupils.

How many students meet the standards

Reading, Writing & Maths School Score Percentile (local) Percentile (nationwide)
Pupils meeting the expected standard 73%
Pupils meeting a higher standard 20%

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 111
Maths 107

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 2.1
Writing 1.2
Maths 0

How many students meet the standards

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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.

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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.

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Reception admissions, 2026 entry

Number of Applications Number of Offers
First Preference
Second Preference 20 0
Third Preference 23 0
From another Local Authority 0 0

Previous years

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Places and pupil numbers

In 2024–25 St John's CofE Primary School had 208 pupils for 210 places. 2 places (1.0%) were unfilled.

Pupils and places

Reception intake in the “Welwyn Primary” planning area

Hertfordshire counted 139 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 121 in 2029–30, down 13%.

201020112012201320142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
Places 210210105210210210210210210210210210210210210
Pupils 206204204206211210208205204206195200207206208
Unfilled 1.9%2.9%0.0%1.9%0.0%0.0%1.0%2.4%2.9%1.9%7.1%4.8%1.4%1.9%1.0%

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 St John's CofE Primary School attended 95.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.8% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
Authorised absence 3.0%2.8%2.2%3.2%3.3%2.2%3.0%4.9%3.9%4.0%3.5%
Unauthorised absence 0.1%0.4%0.7%0.1%0.7%0.9%0.4%0.8%1.3%1.4%0.8%
Severely absent pupils 0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.6%1.1%2.8%1.1%0.0%0.5%0.0%

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 St John's CofE Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

2010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Suspensions per 100 pupils 0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.40.00.00.91.85.92.70.0
Permanent exclusions 0000000000000100

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 St John's CofE Primary School had 23.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.8% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

2011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Pupils per adult 13.914.513.212.212.912.311.011.911.513.511.012.310.39.910.210.7
Teachers who left state teaching 10.3%0.0%0.0%15.8%19.4%0.0%14.0%38.5%0.0%4.5%17.3%0.0%9.1%8.6%0.0%–
Teachers who took any sick leave 15.4%36.4%25.0%37.5%46.2%11.1%52.9%53.3%41.7%–54.5%78.6%42.9%100.0%76.9%–
Sick days per teacher 0.53.62.11.31.60.25.97.10.8–5.96.61.04.82.1–

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, 9.4% of pupils at St John's CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.2% 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 9 4
Specific learning difficulty 6 2
Social, emotional and mental health 1 4
Autistic spectrum disorder 1 3
Other difficulty or disability 2 1
Hearing impairment 1 0
No specialist assessment of need 1 0

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 St John's CofE Primary School received £7,169 and spent £7,052 for each of its 221 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £194,000 (£879 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

20192020202120222023202420252026
Revenue reserve £38,000£64,000£96,000£69,000£84,000£132,000£168,000£194,000
per pupil £183£300£459£320£393£605£783£879
In-year balance £9,000£25,000£33,000-£27,000£15,000£48,000£36,000£26,000
per pupil £43£119£156-£127£71£220£166£118

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
Harwood Hill Junior Mixed Infant and Nursery School
Harwood Close, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 7AG
0.47 miles
Waterside Academy
Rowans, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 1NZ
0.5 miles
The Holy Family Catholic Primary School
Crookhams, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 1PG
0.54 miles
Homerswood Primary and Nursery School
Kirklands, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 7RF
0.63 miles
Templewood Primary School
Pentley Park, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 7SD
1.04 miles
Panshanger Primary School
Daniells, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 1QY
1.16 miles
Tenterfield Nursery School
London Road, Welwyn, AL6 9JF
1.21 miles
Welwyn St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
15 London Road, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 9DJ
1.3 miles
Springmead Primary School
Hillyfields, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 2HB
1.34 miles
Tewin Cowper Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Cannons Meadow, Tewin, Tewin Cowper Ce Primary School Va, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0JU
1.47 miles
Watchlytes Primary School
Watchlytes, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 2AZ
1.52 miles
Peartree Primary School
Peartree Primary School, Peartree Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 3XW
1.57 miles
Swallow Dell Primary and Nursery School
Blackthorn Road, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 3JP
1.62 miles
Oaklands Primary School
Great North Road, Oaklands, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0PX
1.63 miles
Ludwick Nursery School
Holwell Road, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 3RP
1.7 miles
Holwell Primary School
Holwell Road, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 3RP
1.7 miles
Applecroft School
Applecroft Road, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 6JZ
1.91 miles
Our Lady Catholic Primary School
Woodhall Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 3TF
1.95 miles
Creswick Academy
Sir John Newsom Way, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 4FL
2.19 miles
St Michael's Woolmer Green CofE VA Primary School
London Road, Woolmer Green, Hertfordshire, SG3 6JP
2.26 miles
Name Distance
Knightsfield School
Knightsfield, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 7LW
0.88 miles
Monk's Walk School
Knightsfield, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 7NL
0.96 miles
Sherrardswood School
Lockleys, Welwyn, AL6 0BJ
1.01 miles
Ridgeway Academy
Herns Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 2AF
1.2 miles
Stanborough School
Lemsford Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 6YR
2.34 miles
Lakeside School
Lemsford Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 6YN
2.34 miles
James Marks Academy
The Commons, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 4RZ
2.44 miles
The Sele School
Welwyn Road, Hertford, Hertfordshire, SG14 2DG
3.92 miles
Onslow St Audrey's School
Old Rectory Drive, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 8AB
4.24 miles
Bishop's Hatfield Girls' School
Woods Avenue, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 8NL
4.41 miles
Greenside School
Shephall Green, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG2 9XS
4.93 miles
The Valley School
Broadhall Way, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG2 9BN
4.95 miles
Barnwell School
Barnwell, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG2 9SW
4.99 miles

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

What is St John's CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St John's CofE Primary School is Good, from an inspection in June 2023.

When was St John's CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St John's CofE Primary School was last inspected in June 2023.

How many pupils does St John's CofE Primary School have?

St John's CofE Primary School has 224 pupils on roll.

What age range does St John's CofE Primary School cover?

St John's CofE Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are St John's CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St John's CofE Primary School?

St John's CofE Primary School is at Hertford Road, Digswell, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0BX.

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