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Mandeville Primary School, St Albans

Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 3–11

Mandeville Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in St Albans, part of Spiral Partnership Trust. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2026, ended in a report card: 2 strong standard and 5 expected standard. Before that it was rated Good at its last graded inspection, in June 2016. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 26th-highest of the 32 schools in St Albans with published results, and 5,545th of 14,452 across England. It was 83% full in 2025.

SATs results
In line with England
Ofsted report card
2 of 7 areas strong or better
Demand
Every first choice offered
Attendance
Below England average
New inspections, open days and news, by email.

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

Mandeville Primary School in detail

What Ofsted's report card says

Ofsted's report card from its 10 February 2026 inspection grades Mandeville 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.

Inclusion - Strong standard. "The school champions a deeply rooted culture of inclusion where every pupil feels recognised, valued and able to thrive."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The school's values shape every aspect of school life."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils progress well through the curriculum because leaders emphasise developing secure foundations in reading, writing and number."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "The school goes above and beyond to promote regular attendance and works closely with parents and pupils to reinforce its importance."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The school has a clear and well-developed curriculum that builds knowledge and skills in a logical sequence."

Early years - Expected standard. "The early years provides a calm, orderly and respectful environment where children feel secure and are ready to learn."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders, governors and the trust have a clear understanding of the impact of their work across all aspects of school life."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that staff teach the curriculum with consistency and depth across all subjects"; "Leaders should ensure that the school's attendance strategy continues to drive improvement in overall attendance, with a specific focus on reducing persistent absence among disadvantaged pupils".

Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)

Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted

Results

In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils at Mandeville Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 78% 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 (73% in reading, 83% in maths).

Getting a place at Mandeville Primary School

For September 2026 entry, 27 families put Mandeville Primary School as their first choice and 59 named it as one of their preferences, for 28 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 Mandeville Primary School

Compared with nearby schools

The nearest other state primary schools to Mandeville Primary School are St Adrian Roman Catholic Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 87% reading, 87% maths); St Peter's School (0.7 miles, Good, 87% reading, 77% maths); Killigrew Primary and Nursery School (0.7 miles, Good, 83% reading, 92% maths); and The Abbey Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, St Albans (0.7 miles, Good, 90% reading, 87% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Mandeville Primary School.

St Adrian Roman Catholic Primary SchoolSt Peter's SchoolKilligrew Primary and Nursery SchoolThe Abbey Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, St Albans

The trust

Mandeville Primary School is one of 7 schools run by Spiral Partnership Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 68% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

All 7 schools in Spiral Partnership Trust

What parents say

67 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Mandeville Primary School (as of April 2026): 99% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 91% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (99%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (88%).

Who goes there

40.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (40%), Asian (24%) and Mixed (15%).

In 2026, 77 pupils (22.6%) received SEN support and 17 (5%) 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.

Getting there

The nearest railway station is St Albans Abbey Rail Station, about 870 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Watling View (sw-bound), 180 metres away.

Suspensions and exclusions

In 2024/25, Mandeville Primary School issued 17 suspensions, 4.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

Secondary schools nearby

The secondary schools closest to Mandeville Primary School are The Marlborough Science Academy (0.4 miles) and Samuel Ryder Academy (1.3 miles).

The Marlborough Science AcademySamuel Ryder Academy

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; Ofsted Parent View; 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 GIAS
Head:Mrs Cathy Longhurst
Pupils:340
LA:Hertfordshire
Phone:01727519220
Address:Mandeville Drive, St Albans, AL1 2LE
Trust:SPIRAL PARTNERSHIP TRUST (7 schools)
Status:open
Opened:1 January 2013

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 8 months ago

Report card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)

Safeguarding standards met

  • InclusionStrong standard
  • Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
  • AchievementExpected standard
  • Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
  • Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
  • Early yearsExpected standard
  • Leadership and governanceExpected standard

Safeguarding standards: met

Inspected 10 February 2026View full report
URN:139159
UKPRN:10039766
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:St Albans
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted's report card, in its own words

What it's like to be a pupil at Mandeville Primary School

Pupils feel a strong sense of belonging to this school community. They benefit from a well-established culture of inclusion. Pupils, staff and leaders all play their part in shaping the positive ethos that flows through the school. This is reflected in warm, respectful relationships built on kindness and empathy. Pupils value their time with friends. They make use of the wide range of activities available in the playground. This helps them to form supportive relationships. Staff teach pupils clear expectations about appropriate behaviour. Pupils know that these expectations are fair while understanding that at times they may need extra support to achieve them. Pupils appreciate the differences between people in their school community. They treat one another with care. This contributes to a calm atmosphere. Pupils feel safe and poor behaviour is uncommon. Pupils approach learning with cheerfulness and motivation. They engage confidently because they understand what teachers expect of them. Pupils enjoy the challenge that new learning brings. They explain their work using accurate subject vocabulary. Staff support pupils who face difficulties in their learning, helping them to overcome challenges. This ensures that pupils stay positive about their learning and feel encouraged to persevere. Most pupils attend school regularly. However, some groups of pupils are absent for considerable amounts of time. Pupils benefit from a wealth of opportunities that broaden their life experiences and prepare them to take their place in modern society. Trips to the seaside and visits to museums deepen pupils' understanding of the world. Pupils also gain confidence through public speaking competitions that develop their communication skills. They contribute to school life by taking on leadership roles. Pupils help to improve their environment through planting flowers and decorating stones in the school garden. They build strong links with older residents of the local community by taking part in an intergenerational puppet show.

What Ofsted says the school should do next

  • Leaders should ensure that staff teach the curriculum with consistency and depth across all subjects.
  • Leaders should ensure that the school's attendance strategy continues to drive improvement in overall attendance, with a specific focus on reducing persistent absence among disadvantaged pupils.

From Ofsted's report card (inspection 10 February 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Ofsted Insights

From Ofsted's February 2026 inspection report.

What This School Does Well

Mandeville Primary School excels at making every child feel valued and included. Staff know pupils as individuals and build their confidence through a carefully planned curriculum that emphasises core learning skills. The school creates a warm, family-like community where children thrive both academically and emotionally.

Key Strengths

  • Strong culture of inclusion where every pupil feels recognised and valued, with staff quickly identifying and addressing barriers to success
  • Excellent personal development programme focusing on school values, wellbeing, and healthy relationships throughout the year
  • Well-structured curriculum with emphasis on core skills (reading, writing, number) from early years onwards
  • Highly positive behaviour environment with clear, fair expectations that pupils understand and mostly follow
  • Inclusive approach to attendance with tailored strategies for individual pupils

Areas for Improvement

  • Some inconsistencies in how teachers deliver the curriculum in certain subjects
  • Attendance rates for some disadvantaged pupils remain below expected levels despite school efforts

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils are made safer and feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Beach trips, pop-up swimming pool, public speaking competitions, story cafes, stay and play sessions, playground activities, emotional support with school dog (Molly)

Mandeville Primary School is a well-led primary school that champions inclusion and personal development, with pupils making good progress in their learning and feeling safe and valued within a supportive school community.

At a Glance

28.8%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

67 responses
Would recommend99%
Child is happy93%
Feels safe96%
Well behaved88%
Bullying dealt with (of parents with a view)91%
Kept informed97%
Handles concerns (of parents who raised one)96%

Source: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2024/25

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+10ppMaths-5ppWriting

Reading has improved from 73% to 83% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 83% to 78% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 78% (2024 to 2025).

Class Sizes

25.4

Avg class size

24.0

Infant (KS1)

26.3

KS2

12

Total classes

2025/26 academic year

How Does This School Compare?

Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools

See peer comparison with Pro - £9 a month, or £90 a year, inc. VAT

Keep up with Mandeville Primary School

Before and after school care

Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Mandeville Primary School.

  • Club Kidz Limited250m away · Not yet graded
  • Fun Fest St Albans Abbey250m away · Not yet graded
  • Vaks Ltd At Marlborough Science Academy660m away · Not yet graded
  • Code Ninjas at St Columba's College940m away · Not yet graded
  • FizzBug Holiday Club @ Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre960m away · Not yet graded

Term dates

Mandeville Primary School 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

Train Stations

St Albans Abbey Rail Station (entrance)
867m · 14 min walk

Bus Stops

Watling View (SW-bound)
184m · 3 min walk
Pemberton Close (opp)
215m · 3 min walk
Trumpington Drive (N-bound)
244m · 4 min walk
Tavistock Avenue (SE-bound)
250m · 4 min walk
Watling View School (o/s)
256m · 4 min walk

Free school transport

Check free transport to Mandeville Primary School from your postcode →

You apply to the council where you live. Mandeville Primary School is in Hertfordshire; for families living there:

Safety and surroundings

Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)

Collisions
11
Fatal
0
Serious
3
Children hurt
0

Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 8 slight.

No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.

3 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.

Can you get into this school?
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Commute and house prices

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Your chances of a place at Mandeville Primary School

Will you get a place at Mandeville Primary School? Get the admissions report

Your home postcode, set against Mandeville Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.

What the report includes for Mandeville Primary School:

  • The straight-line distance from your home to Mandeville Primary School.
  • We hold no last distance offered figures from Hertfordshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
  • Applications, first choices and offers at Mandeville Primary School 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

83%

Available places

347 pupils

420 places

73 spare places in 2025

2025, DfE school capacity data

Area Demand Pressure - St Albans

Low pressure
New homes approved:2,130
Projected new pupils:533

Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for St Albans

Across Hertfordshire council

Low demand council-wide0.85 applications per place

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(4)

10 February 2026Report card
Inclusion
Curriculum & teaching
Achievement
Attendance & behaviour
Personal development
Early years
Leadership & governance
13 October 2021

Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good.

7 June 2016
Leadership & ManagementOutstanding

SEND & SEN Provision

SEN Overview

77

SEN Support

17

EHC Plans

27.6%

of Total Pupils

2026 academic year

Provision & Specialist Facilities

No specialist provision recorded

Pupils by Need Type

Autistic Spectrum Disorder19
Social, Emotional & Mental Health18
Speech, Language & Communication17
Specific Learning Difficulty3
Moderate Learning Difficulty2
Severe Learning Difficulty1
EHC Plan
SEN Support

Pupil Demographics

Ethnicity

White British
39.7%
Asian
24.1%
Black
3.0%
Mixed
14.5%
Chinese
0.9%
Other
3.2%
Unclassified
0.9%

2026 academic year

Key Indicators

Free School Meals28.8%
English as Additional Language40.3%

340

Total Pupils

163

Boys

177

Girls

2026 academic year

Workforce

20

Teachers

17.0:1

Pupil-teacher ratio

£53,863

Mean salary

2026 data

School Funding

£5,584

Per pupil

£2150k

Total funding

£138k

Pupil premium

Deprivation£203,477
EAL funding£27,317
Lump sum£172,300

2025-26 financial year allocations

Pupil Absence
2024/25

6.6%

Overall absence

19.1%

Persistent absence

319

Enrolments

Authorised4.9%
Unauthorised1.7%
Persistent (10%+)19.1%
Severe (50%+)0.6%

Absence trend

4.8%
18/19
5.5%
20/21
6.7%
21/22
6.8%
22/23
6.0%
23/24
6.6%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

Secondary Schools Nearby

Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to

Questions parents ask about Mandeville Primary School

What are SATs results like at Mandeville Primary School?

Of the pupils at Mandeville Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 83% reached the expected standard in reading and 78% did so in maths.

What is Mandeville Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Mandeville Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2016, it was rated Good.

What is the catchment area for Mandeville Primary School?

No fixed boundary. When Mandeville Primary School is oversubscribed, Hertfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.

Is it hard to get a place at Mandeville Primary School?

Mandeville Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 83% of its 420 places.

How big are the classes at Mandeville Primary School?

Classes at Mandeville Primary School average 25.4 pupils (2025/26).

How many pupils go to Mandeville Primary School?

Mandeville Primary School has around 340 pupils on roll. 29% are eligible for free school meals.

What is attendance like at Mandeville Primary School?

6.6% of sessions were missed at Mandeville Primary School in 2024/25. 19.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).

How do I apply to Mandeville Primary School?

Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Mandeville 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 Mandeville Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?

Ofsted's childcare register lists 5 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Mandeville Primary School: Club Kidz Limited (250m away, registered, not yet graded), Fun Fest St Albans Abbey (250m away, registered, not yet graded) and Vaks Ltd At Marlborough Science Academy (660m 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 Mandeville Primary School?

Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 8 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 3 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 Mandeville Primary School?

Mandeville Primary School is at Mandeville Drive, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 2LE.

Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)

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