Ascot Road Primary School

Ascot Road Primary has made notable progress since the last inspection, achieving a good overall effectiveness rating. With a skilled leadership team at the helm, the school is witnessing significant improvements, particularly in the academic performance of younger pupils. The school's dedication to fostering a supportive and engaging learning environment is evident in the enthusiasm and positive attitudes displayed by its students. The partnership with the Danes Educational Trust has been instrumental in this turnaround, providing necessary resources and training for staff to enhance the quality of education.

Strengths

• Pupils are enthusiastic and happy learners.
• High standards are set and met by staff.
• Significant rising educational standards, especially in early reading and writing.
• Effective one-to-one tutoring for struggling readers.
• Pupils develop a good sense of community and responsibility.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils have knowledge gaps that affect their progress.
• Tasks set by teachers do not always enable secure 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 Ascot Road Primary School attended 92.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 25.8% 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, 1.0% of pupils at Ascot Road 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 Ascot Road Primary School had 22.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 29.1% 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, 10.5% of pupils at Ascot Road Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.6% 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 Ascot Road Primary School received £6,632 and spent £6,217 for each of its 383 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £494,000 (£1,290 per pupil).

Across all 13 schools of Danes Educational Trust, income was £7,961 and spending £7,847 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 Watford · Hertfordshire local authority: places and applications

Ascot Road Primary School is part of Danes Educational Trust, which runs 13 schools. The nearest others:

• Croxley Danes School Rickmansworth
• Lanchester Primary School Watford
• St Clement Danes School Rickmansworth
• Elstree Screen Arts Academy Borehamwood
• Jupiter Primary School Hemel Hempstead
• The Beaconsfield School Beaconsfield
• De Havilland Primary School Hatfield
• Onslow St Audrey's School Hatfield
• Chancellor's School Hatfield
• Roselands Primary School Hoddesdon

What is Ascot Road Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ascot Road Primary School is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Ascot Road Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Ascot Road Primary School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Ascot Road Primary School have?

Ascot Road Primary School has 391 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ascot Road Primary School cover?

Ascot Road Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Ascot Road Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Ascot Road Primary School?

Ascot Road Primary School is at Ascot Road, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD18 8AD.