Buntingford First School, Buntingford

Primary
Free schools
Mixed
Ages 29

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~1.8km)Possible (~2.5km)Unlikely (~3.3km)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Vikki Johnston
Pupils:165 / 330 capacity
LA:Hertfordshire
Phone:01763290350
Address:London Road, Buntingford, SG9 9HZ
Trust:SCHOLARS' EDUCATION TRUST
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2023

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 4 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Expected Standard
Personal Development
Strong Standard
Leadership
Strong Standard
Early Years
Strong Standard
Inspected 19 May 2026View full report
URN:149748
UKPRN:10093043
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:North East Hertfordshire
Urban/Rural:Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

This school excels at making every child feel valued and included, regardless of their background or any additional needs. Staff build close relationships with families and provide expert support tailored to individual needs. The school creates a warm, welcoming community where children are happy, safe, and motivated to learn, with particularly strong early years teaching that gives children an excellent foundation for future learning.

Key Strengths

  • Exceptional early years curriculum with strong focus on communication, vocabulary, and emotional development
  • Highly effective inclusion approach with detailed knowledge of pupils' needs and well-qualified support team
  • Strong leadership and governance with clear vision for school improvement
  • Comprehensive personal development programme covering different cultures, sustainability, and online safety
  • Excellent pastoral support including access to school dog for pupil wellbeing

Areas for Improvement

  • Attendance needs further improvement, particularly for pupils with significant barriers to regular school attendance
  • Teaching consistency - leaders have identified rare cases where learning activities are less precise and hinder progress
  • Continued focus needed as school grows in size to maintain quality of provision

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met with an open and positive culture where safety is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and managed, and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

School clubs regularly changed to reflect pupil interests, educational trips and experiences carefully planned to build knowledge and raise aspirations

Buntingford First School is a newly opened school (September 2023) with a strong focus on inclusion and has established itself as a warm, welcoming community where pupils are happy and safe. The school demonstrates particular strengths in early years provision, inclusion support, and personal development.

At a Glance

18.1%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

24.6

Avg class size

22.0

Infant (KS1)

25.0

KS2

5

Total classes

1 class with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Stearn Way (nr)
173m · 3 min walk
Kingfisher Park (opp)
348m · 6 min walk
Aspenden Road (opp)
667m · 11 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

50%

Available places

165 pupils

330 capacity

165 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Buntingford

Low pressure
New homes approved:265
Projected new pupils:66

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Buntingford

Admissions Demand - Hertfordshire

Low demand0.86x oversubscription

Places available

14,951

Applications

12,834

Got 1st preference

88.0%

Got preferred school

98.2%

Primary admissions across Hertfordshire (2025/26)

Inspection History

19 May 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Early Years

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

8.20844%

Overall absence

22.41379%

Persistent absence

58

Enrolments

Authorised6.20531%
Unauthorised2.00313%
Persistent (10%+)22.41379%
Severe (50%+)1.72414%

Absence trend

5.42769%
23/24
8.20844%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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