Oakmere Primary School, Potters Bar
Oakmere Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Potters Bar. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 6th-highest of the 7 schools in Potters Bar with published results, and 12,107th of 14,452 across England. It was 59% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
- 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
Oakmere Primary School in detail
Oakmere Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am immensely proud and privileged to be the Headteacher of Oakmere Primary School. We are a friendly and inclusive school. Everything we do rests on the strong foundation of our school values of teamwork, respect, kindness, responsibility, resilience and ambition and this underpins everything we do at Oakmere Primary School."
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am and after-school care, from £5 per session.
Coming up: an open day on Thursday 5 November 2026 at 9.30am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Hertfordshire
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 65% of Year 6 pupils at Oakmere Primary School 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 rose from 51% in reading and 66% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Oakmere Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 16 families put Oakmere Primary School as their first choice and 32 named it as one of their preferences, for 23 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 Oakmere Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Oakmere Primary School are Ladbrooke Junior Mixed and Infant School (0.6 miles, Good, 90% reading, 90% maths); Little Heath Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 87% reading, 73% maths); Northaw Church of England Primary School (1.1 miles, Good, 75% reading, 63% maths); and Pope Paul Catholic Primary School (1.5 miles).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Oakmere Primary School.
Ladbrooke Junior Mixed and Infant SchoolLittle Heath Primary SchoolNorthaw Church of England Primary SchoolPope Paul Catholic Primary School
What parents say
36 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Oakmere Primary School (as of September 2025): 75% would recommend the school, 78% say their child is happy there and 60% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child does well at the school (81%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (58%).
Who goes there
34.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 31.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (40%), Asian (17%) and Black (11%).
In 2026, 46 pupils (20.4%) received SEN support and 5 (2.2%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Potters Bar Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Stamford Close (near), 110 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Oakmere Primary School issued 50 suspensions, 20.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Oakmere Primary School are Gracewood Academy (1 mile) and Dame Alice Owen's School (1.8 miles).
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; 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 agoOverall
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?
Pupils are proud to be part of this welcoming school. Staff and pupils have developed positive relationships. They show respect for each other. Pupils learn about differences and describe each other as 'unique and special'.
The school has high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Staff care deeply for pupils and manage their behaviour positively. Pupils know what is expected of them. They understand why behaving well is important for their learning. Pupils have strong learning behaviours. Those who find this more difficult are supported well by staff.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has made considerable improvements since the previous inspection. The curriculum in place now helps pupils from the Nursery Year to Year 6 to make progress. Leaders have developed a suitable curriculum. This is effective for most pupils. However, important learning is not always as clear as it should be in some parts of the early years curriculum. In these instances, some staff are not able to support children in building their learning as well as they could.
Teachers have strong subject knowledge. The clear order of learning helps pupils to remember what has been taught. For example, older pupils confidently remember science learning from previous years. Teachers use assessment well. They identify misconceptions and provide pupils with clear guidance so they know how well they are doing.
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 Requires Improvement at its October 2022 inspection - down from Good.
Areas Ofsted flagged
Quality of education (Requires Improvement), Behaviour & attitudes (Requires Improvement), Personal development (Requires Improvement), Leadership & management (Requires Improvement), Early years (Requires Improvement).
At a Glance
34.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
36 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 improved from 51% to 65% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 63% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 69% to 58% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
25.1
Avg class size
23.0
Infant (KS1)
29.4
KS2
9
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Oakmere Primary School
Term dates
Oakmere Primary School 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 Oakmere Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Oakmere Primary School 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
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
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 Oakmere Primary School
Will you get a place at Oakmere Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Oakmere Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Oakmere Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Oakmere 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 Oakmere 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
59%
Available places
239 pupils
402 places
163 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Potters Bar
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Potters Bar
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(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
46
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
22.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
226
Total Pupils
118
Boys
108
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
16.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,006
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,174
Per pupil
£1663k
Total funding
£126k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.9%
Overall absence
20.2%
Persistent absence
238
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
Oakmere Primary School
Questions parents ask about Oakmere Primary School
What are SATs results like at Oakmere Primary School?
Of the pupils at Oakmere Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 65% reached the expected standard in reading and 63% did so in maths.
What is Oakmere Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Oakmere Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Oakmere Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Oakmere 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 Oakmere Primary School?
Oakmere Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 59% of its 402 places.
How big are the classes at Oakmere Primary School?
Classes at Oakmere Primary School average 25.1 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Oakmere Primary School?
Oakmere Primary School has around 226 pupils on roll. 35% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Oakmere Primary School?
7.9% of sessions were missed at Oakmere Primary School in 2024/25. 20.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Oakmere Primary School?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Oakmere 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.
What are Oakmere Primary School's term dates?
Oakmere Primary School 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 Oakmere Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 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 Oakmere Primary School?
Oakmere Primary School is at Chace Avenue, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 5NP.
Sources: Hertfordshire term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)