Heron Primary School, Gloucester
Heron Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Gloucester. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 37th-highest of the 53 schools in Gloucester with published results, and 9,982nd of 14,452 across England. It was 95% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2012)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Gloucestershire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Heron Primary School in detail
Heron Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "The school has three key areas; Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. We aim to develop the skills, attitudes and techniques which will enable our children to develop independence and responsibility in the learning environment. If you can't find what you want or just want more information please get in touch with us."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 76% of Year 6 pupils at Heron Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 66% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 75% in Gloucestershire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 87% in reading and 83% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Heron Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 49 families put Heron Primary School as their first choice and 155 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 2 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Heron Primary School are Hillside Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 64% reading, 55% maths); Abbeymead Primary School (0.5 miles, Outstanding, 80% reading, 68% maths); Coney Hill Community Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 77% reading, 90% maths); and Upton St Leonards Church of England Primary School (0.8 miles, Outstanding, 92% reading, 98% maths).
Heron Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Hillside Primary SchoolAbbeymead Primary SchoolConey Hill Community Primary SchoolUpton St Leonards Church of England Primary School
What parents say
105 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Heron Primary School (as of September 2025): 66% would recommend the school, 80% say their child is happy there and 37% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (83%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (37%).
Who goes there
16.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 12.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (70%), Mixed (10%) and Asian (7%).
Staffing
Heron Primary School had 25 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 Gloucester Rail Station, about 2 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Shergar Close (before), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Heron Primary School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Heron Primary School issued 16 suspensions, 4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Heron Primary School are Gloucester Academy (0.5 miles) and Barnwood Park School (1 mile).
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 census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from May 2012, 14 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 Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Heron Primary School creates a caring environment where children feel safe and happy. The school has a well-designed curriculum that helps pupils build and retain knowledge, with particular strength in supporting children with special needs. Staff consistently apply high behaviour expectations, meaning lessons run smoothly and children move around school safely and respectfully.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on building pupils' knowledge securely through revisiting important concepts many times - this helps them recall and apply learning over time
- Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities achieve well with clear, precise targets and adapted lessons
- High expectations for behaviour that are applied consistently - pupils behave well, show respect and follow instructions without hesitation
- Great emphasis on teaching correct, subject-specific language from Reception onwards
- Outdoor play and learning project contributes significantly to good behaviour and wellbeing
Areas for Improvement
- Some older pupils do not enjoy reading and avoid it outside lessons, meaning they do not build the fluency, understanding and confidence they need
- A small number of pupils have persistent absence from school, preventing them from accessing the full curriculum
- Early years teachers have not identified all specific vocabulary children need for personal, social and emotional development
- Some parents do not believe the school is working in their children's best interests, and more work is needed to build positive relationships with all families
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Breakfast club, extra-curricular clubs (increased following parent feedback)
Heron Primary School is an inclusive, welcoming school where all staff are ambitious for pupils to be successful learners. The school has put considerable effort into supporting pupils' mental health and wellbeing, with pupils reporting they feel happy, safe and cared for.
At a Glance
16.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
105 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 declined from 87% to 76% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 83% to 66% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 73% to 78% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.3
Avg class size
26.3
Infant (KS1)
30.0
KS2
9
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Heron Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Heron Primary School.
- All My Friends Heron After School ClubAt the school · Not yet graded
- After 3 Club870m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Heron Primary School is a foundation school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Gloucestershire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Heron Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Heron Primary School is in Gloucestershire; for families living there:
Apply to Gloucestershire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 4 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
0 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 Gloucestershire is 5 (the median across 338 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 Heron Primary School
Will you get a place at Heron Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Heron Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Heron Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Heron Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Gloucestershire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Heron Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Gloucestershire 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
95%
Near capacity
399 pupils
420 places
21 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Gloucester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Gloucester
Across Gloucestershire council
Places available
7,250
Applications
6,016
Got 1st preference
91.6%
Got preferred school
98.1%
All primary applications across Gloucestershire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
50
SEN Support
14
EHC Plans
15.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
402
Total Pupils
213
Boys
189
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
25
Teachers
16.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,447
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,035
Per pupil
£2220k
Total funding
£89k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.8%
Overall absence
12.8%
Persistent absence
368
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
Heron Primary School
Questions parents ask about Heron Primary School
What are SATs results like at Heron Primary School?
Of the pupils at Heron Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 76% reached the expected standard in reading and 66% did so in maths.
What is Heron Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Heron Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2012, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Heron Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Heron Primary School is oversubscribed, Gloucestershire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Heron Primary School?
Heron Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 95% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Heron Primary School?
Classes at Heron Primary School average 28.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Heron Primary School?
Heron Primary School has around 402 pupils on roll. 16% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Heron Primary School?
5.8% of sessions were missed at Heron Primary School in 2024/25. 12.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Heron Primary School?
Apply through Gloucestershire's coordinated admissions process, naming Heron Primary School 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 Heron Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: All My Friends Heron After School Club (registered, not yet graded). There is another within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Heron Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 4 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 0 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 Gloucestershire is 5 (the median across 338 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Heron Primary School?
Heron Primary School is at Heron Way, Abbeydale, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL4 4BN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)