Edwinstree Church of England Middle School

Edwinstree Church of England Middle School is performing well, maintaining its status as a good school. The recent inspection highlighted the school's strengths in delivering a broad and ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of its pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are making good progress, especially in closing the achievement gaps for disadvantaged students, due in part to effective interventions and support systems in place. The school community is celebrated for its diversity and respectful relationships fostered through initiatives such as the dynamic diversity group (DDG).

Strengths

• Pupils experience a broad and ambitious curriculum.
• Strong emphasis on reading encourages pupils to read widely.
• Pupils behave well, with effective behaviour management systems.
• Active pupil involvement through roles such as school councillors and eco-ambassadors.
• Effective support for pupils with SEND to access the curriculum.
• Popular after-school clubs enhance students' engagement.

Areas for Improvement

• Some curriculum plans are still becoming established due to staffing changes.
• Teachers' assessments of learning are not always precise enough for pupil improvement.
• Communication between the school and some parents, particularly those of pupils with SEND, is not strong enough.

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 Edwinstree Church of England Middle School attended 93.2% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 15.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

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, 4.7% of pupils at Edwinstree Church of England Middle School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was 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 Edwinstree Church of England Middle School had 18.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.1% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

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, 25.7% of pupils at Edwinstree Church of England Middle School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 5.6% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Edwinstree Church of England Middle School received £6,943 and spent £6,982 for each of its 486 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £55,000 (£114 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 Buntingford · Hertfordshire local authority: places and applications

What is Edwinstree Church of England Middle School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Edwinstree Church of England Middle School is Good, from an inspection in June 2024.

When was Edwinstree Church of England Middle School last inspected by Ofsted?

Edwinstree Church of England Middle School was last inspected in June 2024.

How many pupils does Edwinstree Church of England Middle School have?

Edwinstree Church of England Middle School has 486 pupils on roll.

What age range does Edwinstree Church of England Middle School cover?

Edwinstree Church of England Middle School for pupils aged 9 to 13.

What are Edwinstree Church of England Middle School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 43% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Edwinstree Church of England Middle School?

Edwinstree Church of England Middle School is at Norfolk Road, Buntingford, Hertfordshire, SG9 9AW.