Garden City Academy, Letchworth Garden City
Garden City Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Letchworth Garden City, part of Reach2 Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 7th-highest of the 7 schools in Letchworth Garden City with published results, and 9,801st of 14,452 across England. It was 78% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2018)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Hertfordshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Garden City Academy in detail
Garden City Academy in its own words
In its own words: "Garden City became a sponsored academy in September 2012. Our sponsors are REAch2 (Raising Educational Achievement for All Children) who are the largest primary academy trust in England. The Trust aspires to create a family of primary academies that have strong reputations for delivering outstanding education for all pupils."
Coming up: an open day on Tuesday 10 November 2026, an open day on Thursday 12 November 2026 and an open day on Friday 20 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Hertfordshire
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils at Garden City Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 65% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 76% in Hertfordshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 48% in reading and 33% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Garden City Academy
For September 2026 entry, 25 families put Garden City Academy as their first choice and 44 named it as one of their preferences, for 29 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Garden City Academy are Pixmore Junior School (0.6 miles, Good, 60% reading, 52% maths); Hillshott Infant School and Nursery (0.6 miles, Good); Lordship Farm Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 84% reading, 78% maths); and St Mary's Junior Mixed School (0.8 miles, Good, 65% reading, 62% maths).
Garden City Academy's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Pixmore Junior SchoolHillshott Infant School and NurseryLordship Farm Primary SchoolSt Mary's Junior Mixed School
The trust
Garden City Academy is one of 65 schools run by Reach2 Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 66% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
45.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 50 pupils (23.3%) received SEN support and 12 (5.6%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Letchworth Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hamonte (near), 230 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Garden City Academy issued 31 suspensions, 18.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Garden City Academy are The Knights Templar School (1.3 miles), The Highfield School (1.4 miles) and Fearnhill School (1.7 miles).
The Knights Templar SchoolThe Highfield SchoolFearnhill School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; 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 October 2018, 8 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Garden City Academy is a happy school. Pupils speak proudly of the 'GCA way'. They say confidently that, 'This is the way we do it here.' They respond well to the school's high expectations of their behaviour and achievement. In the Nursery and Reception classes, children settle into routines quickly. They learn to share and to take turns with the supportive guidance from adults. Pupils of all ages enjoy rhymes, stories and reading. Break and lunchtimes are sociable events. Pupils play and dance to music, together with school staff as well as with their peers. Staff are kind and helpful if pupils worry.
Pupils like the access to the range of experiences beyond the classroom, including the highly valued '11 before 11' opportunities, such as 'sleeping under the stars', hiking and the residential trip to France. In-school elections for pupil parliament representatives are competitive and taken seriously. Parliament members serve their school community very well. Ideas, such as for increased sustainability and the 'diversity diner', which celebrates different cultures, are carefully thought out and effectively implemented. Pupils are typically well prepared to move into secondary education at the end of Year 6.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school's broad and ambitious curriculum is securely focused on ensuring that all pupils achieve well in this small and inclusive school community. In recent times, significant staffing changes interrupted aspects of ongoing improvement planning. The trust acted swiftly with support to keep the quality of education on track. Well-considered developments, for example, to address historically weaker outcomes in reading and writing for pupils at the end of key stage 2 are proving successful. Important aspects of writing are specifically taught and regularly revisited. Ensuring that pupils read well is a priority.
Across year groups, pupils' achievement is improving. Some pupils join the school at different stages, including late in Years 5 and 6. These pupils often make good progress from when they join the school, but sometimes they are less successful in national tests.
From Ofsted's June 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 October 2018 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
45.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 48% to 78% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 33% to 65% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 56% to 61% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
23.1
Avg class size
24.7
Infant (KS1)
26.0
KS2
8
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Garden City Academy
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Garden City Academy.
- Breakaway Letchworth Saturday Club480m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Garden City Academy is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Hertfordshire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Garden City Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Garden City Academy 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
- 12
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 9 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
2 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 Garden City Academy
Will you get a place at Garden City Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Garden City Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Garden City Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Garden City Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Hertfordshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Garden City Academy 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
78%
Available places
163 pupils
210 places
47 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Letchworth Garden City
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Letchworth Garden City
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(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
50
SEN Support
12
EHC Plans
28.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
215
Total Pupils
114
Boys
101
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
21.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,708
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,434
Per pupil
£1155k
Total funding
£105k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.9%
Overall absence
23.7%
Persistent absence
152
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
Garden City Academy
Questions parents ask about Garden City Academy
What are SATs results like at Garden City Academy?
Of the pupils at Garden City Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 78% reached the expected standard in reading and 65% did so in maths.
What is Garden City Academy's Ofsted rating?
Garden City Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2018, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Garden City Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Garden City Academy is oversubscribed, Hertfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Garden City Academy?
Garden City Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 78% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at Garden City Academy?
Classes at Garden City Academy average 23.1 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Garden City Academy?
Garden City Academy has around 215 pupils on roll. 45% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Garden City Academy?
6.9% of sessions were missed at Garden City Academy in 2024/25. 23.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Garden City Academy?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Garden City Academy 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 Garden City Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Garden City Academy: Breakaway Letchworth Saturday Club (480m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Garden City Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 9 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 2 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 Garden City Academy?
Garden City Academy is at Radburn Way, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, SG6 2JZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)