Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy

Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy is demonstrating effective actions to maintain the standards identified in its previous inspection. The school fosters a strong community where pupils feel proud and safe, supported by dedicated staff who build caring relationships with students. The curriculum is ambitious and particularly supportive of disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs, helping them to achieve well. High attendance and enthusiasm for learning further showcase the school's positive environment. While the overall performance of the school is commendable, there are areas identified for improvement in the curriculum delivery. Some subjects are still being developed, leading to inconsistencies in how critical knowledge is imparted to pupils. This means that occasionally, students may not receive enough focus on essential concepts necessary for their academic progression. Nevertheless, staff are committed to continuously enhancing their approaches to education.

Strengths

• Pupils express pride and enjoyment in attending the school.
• Strong relationships foster a supportive and safe environment.
• Curriculum includes ambitious content and effectively supports disadvantaged pupils.
• Teachers demonstrate strong subject knowledge in established subjects.
• Reading is prioritized, and pupils engage with exciting texts.
• Pupils show positive attitudes towards learning and attend school regularly.
• Personal development and character education are strengths.
• A variety of extracurricular opportunities are available for all pupils.

Areas for Improvement

• Some teachers are unclear on the most important knowledge needed for developing subjects.
• Inconsistencies in the delivery of new subjects can hinder effective learning.

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 Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy attended 95.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.8% 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, 1.5% of pupils at Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy 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 Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy had 22.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 17.2% 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, 16.7% of pupils at Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.0% 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 2024–25 Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy received £6,460 and spent £6,525 for each of its 263 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £60,000 (£228 per pupil).

Across all 65 schools of Reach2 Academy Trust, income was £7,346 and spending £7,105 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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

Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy is part of Reach2 Academy Trust, which runs 65 schools. The nearest others:

• Garden City Academy Letchworth Garden City
• Pemberley Academy Harlow
• Water Lane Primary Academy Harlow
• Newhall Primary Academy Harlow
• Summerside Primary Academy London
• Green Ridge Primary Academy Aylesbury
• Chapel End Junior Academy London
• Chigwell Primary Academy Chigwell
• The Woodside Primary Academy London
• Dorothy Barley Junior Academy Dagenham

What is Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy is Good, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy have?

Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy has 234 pupils on roll.

What age range does Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy cover?

Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy for pupils aged 7 to 11.

What are Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 70% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy?

Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy is at Fishponds Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 1NS.