Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery, Hemel Hempstead
Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Hemel Hempstead. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 25th-highest of the 30 schools in Hemel Hempstead with published results, and 12,528th of 14,452 across England. It was 97% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Hertfordshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery in detail
Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I have had the privilege of being a part of Galley Hill since the school opened in 2008, and I am extremely proud of the community we have built in this time. Visitors to our school always comment on the friendly and welcoming atmosphere and the enthusiasm of our children."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 61% of Year 6 pupils at Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery reached the expected standard in reading and 63% 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 (58% in reading, 62% in maths).
Getting a place at Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery
For September 2026 entry, 44 families put Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery as their first choice and 82 named it as one of their preferences, for 53 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery are St Cuthbert Mayne Voluntary Catholic Junior Academy (0.4 miles, 92% reading, 78% maths); Micklem Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 77% reading, 71% maths); Gade Valley Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 72% reading, 83% maths); and George Street Primary School (1 mile, Good, 79% reading, 75% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery.
St Cuthbert Mayne Voluntary Catholic Junior AcademyMicklem Primary SchoolGade Valley Primary SchoolGeorge Street Primary School
What parents say
66 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery (as of September 2025): 96% would recommend the school, 97% say their child is happy there and 79% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (97%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (79%).
Staffing
Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery had 26 teachers in 2026, one for every 16 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hemel Hempstead Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Rossgate Shops (adjacent), 90 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery issued 30 suspensions, 6.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery are Laureate Academy (0.5 miles), John F Kennedy Catholic School (0.5 miles) and The Hemel Hempstead School (1.1 miles).
Laureate AcademyJohn F Kennedy Catholic SchoolThe Hemel Hempstead School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from May 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Galley Hill is a caring and inclusive school. Everyone receives a very warm welcome. Pupils enjoy learning here. The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve and how they should conduct themselves. Many pupils meet these expectations consistently well.
Pupils know and follow the well-established routines. These help the youngest children in the early years to settle quickly. Pupils are respectful to staff and each other. Staff care deeply about supporting pupils and take time to get to know them well. This helps pupils feel safe and confident to share any worries they may have.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has developed a curriculum that is designed to meet the needs of all pupils. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). There is a strong focus on reading. Pupils develop a love of reading. Everyone understands the school's approach. Staff are well trained and teach phonics with confidence. Children in the Reception Year learn to read right from the start. Adults regularly listen to pupils read. They give precise support. This helps pupils use their sounds and knowledge to read books accurately and fluently. There are regular checks to see if pupils are remembering the sounds they have learned. Additional reading support is quickly put in place for anyone at risk of falling behind. This helps most pupils to keep up with the reading programme.
From Ofsted's October 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its May 2019 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
33.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
66 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 61% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 63% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 65% to 75% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.9
Avg class size
27.5
Infant (KS1)
29.5
KS2
15
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery
Gold Sports Mark
31 Jul 2026
Road Safety
15 May 2026
Galley Hill are working towards the Herts Shining Communication Award.
26 Nov 2025
Year 3 / 4 Football Tournament
7 May 2025
Year 5 / 6 Football Tournament
29 Apr 2025
Nursery Little City Experience Photos
28 Feb 2025
From Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery.
- CoachingMe After School and Holiday ClubAt the school · Not yet graded
- Micklem After School Club720m away · Not yet graded
- Stagecoach - Gade Valley820m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery is a community school, so its term dates are set by Hertfordshire. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Thursday 22 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Monday 24 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery is in Hertfordshire; for families living there:
- Hertfordshire's school travel policy: Read the home to school transport policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 7 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery
Will you get a place at Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Hertfordshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Hertfordshire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
97%
Near capacity
407 pupils
420 places
13 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Hemel Hempstead
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Hemel Hempstead
Across Hertfordshire council
Places available
14,776
Applications
12,543
Got 1st preference
89.1%
Got preferred school
98.4%
All primary applications across Hertfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
89
SEN Support
16
EHC Plans
24.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
426
Total Pupils
207
Boys
219
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
26
Teachers
16.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£45,560
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,605
Per pupil
£2559k
Total funding
£188k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.9%
Overall absence
22.0%
Persistent absence
364
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery
Questions parents ask about Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery
What are SATs results like at Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery?
Of the pupils at Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 61% reached the expected standard in reading and 63% did so in maths.
What is Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery's Ofsted rating?
Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery?
No fixed boundary. When Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery is oversubscribed, Hertfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery?
Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery?
Classes at Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery average 27.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery?
Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery has around 426 pupils on roll. 33% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery?
6.9% of sessions were missed at Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery in 2024/25. 22% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: CoachingMe After School and Holiday Club (registered, not yet graded). There are 2 more within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
What are Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery's term dates?
Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery is a community school, so its term dates are set by Hertfordshire. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Thursday 22 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027). In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Monday 24 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 7 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery?
Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery is at Galley Hill, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 3JY.
Sources: Hertfordshire term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)