Gade Valley Primary School, Hemel Hempstead

Ofsted's report card from its 22 September 2026 inspection grades Gade Valley Primary School on 7 areas: 2 strong standard and 5 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Attendance is high and the number of pupils who are persistently absent is low."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The personal development and wellbeing programme is highly inclusive."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Overall, pupils are well prepared for their next steps in education."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Since the last inspection, leaders have continued to strengthened the curriculum."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders have strengthened the early years curriculum recently."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "The school's culture is highly inclusive."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders' accurately assess the school's strengths and areas to develop."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should further embed their processes to support inclusive teaching, ensuring clarity and precision in pupils' learning plans and targets so that these enable pupils to progress as well as possible"; "Leaders should ensure they continue to support teachers in using adaptive and responsive teaching approaches to maximise pupils' progress and attainment, particularly in the wider curriculum".

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include cricket and running.

In 2025, 72% of Year 6 pupils at Gade Valley Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 83% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 76% in Hertfordshire and 77% and 75% across England.

Results were similar in 2024 (72% in reading, 83% in maths).

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 44 families put Gade Valley Primary School as their first choice and 143 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.5 first choices for every place. 16 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state primary schools to Gade Valley Primary School are St Cuthbert Mayne Voluntary Catholic Junior Academy (under 0.1 miles, 92% reading, 78% maths); Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery (0.5 miles, Good, 61% reading, 63% maths); Micklem Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 77% reading, 71% maths); and George Street Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 79% reading, 75% maths).

Gade Valley Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

14% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 10.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (73%), Mixed (9%) and Asian (7%).

In 2026, 22 pupils (9.3%) received SEN support and 5 (2.1%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is autism.

Gade Valley Primary School had 13 teachers in 2026, one for every 16 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Hemel Hempstead Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Laureate Academy (nw-bound), 110 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 393 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Hertfordshire (138), as is usual near a town centre.

Gade Valley Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.

The secondary schools closest to Gade Valley Primary School are Laureate Academy (0.1 miles), The Hemel Hempstead School (0.7 miles) and John F Kennedy Catholic School (0.8 miles).