Holtsmere End Infant and Nursery School, Hemel Hempstead

Ofsted's report card from its 12 May 2026 inspection grades Holtsmere End Infant and Nursery School on 7 areas: 6 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Most pupils develop secure early reading skills and can decode words accurately."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the effectiveness of the curriculum and teaching."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders give high priority to the early years."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Pupils' needs are picked up early."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders set a clear direction for the school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have developed a well-planned approach to supporting pupils' personal development and wellbeing."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Leaders have taken appropriate action to improve attendance."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should embed their attendance strategy so that recent gains are sustained and attendance for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND rises to align with national figures over time"; "Leaders should continue to refine their work to secure greater consistency in the delivery of mathematics and writing. They should build on the current provision to ensure that all pupils experience the same quality of teaching across these subjects".

For September 2026 entry, 48 families put Holtsmere End Infant and Nursery School as their first choice and 90 named it as one of their preferences, for 57 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Holtsmere End Infant and Nursery School are Holtsmere End Junior School (under 0.1 miles, Good, 67% reading, 67% maths); Brockswood Primary School (0.3 miles, Outstanding, 100% reading, 93% maths); Maple Grove Primary School (0.4 miles, Requires improvement, 50% reading, 57% maths); and Hammond Academy (0.8 miles, Good, 78% reading, 80% maths).

38.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (53%), Asian (11%) and Mixed (11%).

In 2026, 24 pupils (11.9%) received SEN support and 6 (3%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.

Holtsmere End Infant and Nursery School had 13 teachers in 2026, one for every 14 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 3.2 miles away in a straight line.

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Arkley Road (opposite), 60 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Holtsmere End Infant and Nursery School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 7th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Holtsmere End Infant and Nursery School issued 23 suspensions, 10.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.