Parkgate Junior School, Watford
Parkgate Junior School is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Watford. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 26th-highest of the 29 schools in Watford with published results, and 10,218th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2018)
- Capacity
- Full
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Parkgate Junior School in detail
Parkgate Junior School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Parkgate Junior School is a 2 form entry Junior School in North Watford, Hertfordshire. We are linked to Parkgate Infants School and the majority of children transfer directly from Parkgate Infants in Year 3."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, rugby and gymnastics.
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Tuesday 24 November 2026 at 9am and an open day on Tuesday 1 December 2026 at 9am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Hertfordshire
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 68% of Year 6 pupils at Parkgate Junior School reached the expected standard in reading and 73% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 76% in Hertfordshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 81% in reading and 76% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Parkgate Junior School
Across Hertfordshire, 89% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 98% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Hertfordshire lodged 319 appeals against primary school offers; 155 reached a hearing and 21 succeeded (13.5% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Parkgate Junior School are Parkgate Infants' and Nursery School (0.3 miles, Good); Knutsford Primary Academy (0.4 miles, Good, 83% reading, 78% maths); Beechfield School (0.6 miles, Good, 82% reading, 87% maths); and Cherry Tree Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 74% reading, 83% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Parkgate Junior School.
Parkgate Infants' and Nursery SchoolKnutsford Primary AcademyBeechfield SchoolCherry Tree Primary School
Who goes there
14.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 44.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (37%), White British (20%) and Mixed (13%).
Staffing
Parkgate Junior School had 16 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Watford North Rail Station, about 250 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Parkgate Road (adjacent), 170 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 318 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and other theft. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Hertfordshire (138), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Parkgate Junior School issued 2 suspensions, 0.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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 June 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 Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
This is a welcoming and vibrant school. Pupils enjoy coming here. They are safe, cared for and valued. They benefit from senior leaders and staff who constantly work hard to improve the curriculum and pupils' wider experiences. Staff want pupils to succeed. Pupils appreciate that lessons are interesting and that support is there when needed. Their learning is aided by easy access to technology. Many pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well from their starting points.
Pupils like belonging to a diverse school and learning about each other's heritage and religion. Staff encourage pupils to debate and share their views. This helps foster mutual respect. As a result, pupils get on very well together. They make firm friendships. They are confident that adults will always help them with any worries. Pupils listen in lessons and behave very well, including at break times. They enjoy basketball, using the outdoor gym equipment and games with the sports coach.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school's main strength is that it is ambitious for every pupil, including for pupils with SEND. Leaders regularly review the curriculum to ensure expectations remain high and that it meets the needs of current pupils, many for whom English is not their first language. There has been a recent re-evaluation, for example, of the mathematics curriculum. As a result, leaders have improved the way pupils learn how to use calculation methods.
The school ensures that, in all subjects, teachers are clear on what to teach and when. Teachers have good subject knowledge. Pupils revisit prior learning before learning something new. Teachers frequently check that pupils have retained key knowledge. They then support pupils fill any gaps in knowledge. This is most effective in reading and mathematics. However, on some occasions, the feedback given to pupils in writing and in other subjects is less clear. This means pupils are not always provided the guidance they need to deepen their knowledge in these areas in the way leaders intend.
From Ofsted's July 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 Outstanding at its June 2018 inspection - up from Good.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
14.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 81% to 68% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 73% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 80% to 75% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.5
Avg class size
29.5
KS2
8
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Parkgate Junior School
PTA News
18 Sep 2026
Sports News
11 Sep 2026
Library News
17 Jul 2026
Spanish Day
3 Jul 2026
Science News
26 Jun 2026
Keeping Our Cool! 😎
26 Jun 2026
From Parkgate Junior School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Parkgate Junior School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Parkgate Junior School.
- Super Star Sport NWL - Parkgate Infant and Nursery School - Wrap Around410m away · Not yet graded
- Kumon Garston Study Centre970m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Parkgate Junior 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
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Parkgate Junior School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Parkgate Junior 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
- 38
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 9
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 38 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 29 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
11 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
100%
Full
240 pupils
240 places
No spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Watford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Watford
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.
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
35
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
18.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
236
Total Pupils
108
Boys
128
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
14.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,989
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,372
Per pupil
£1383k
Total funding
£50k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.0%
Overall absence
7.0%
Persistent absence
244
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
Parkgate Junior School
Questions parents ask about Parkgate Junior School
What are SATs results like at Parkgate Junior School?
Of the pupils at Parkgate Junior School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 68% reached the expected standard in reading and 73% did so in maths.
What is Parkgate Junior School's Ofsted rating?
Parkgate Junior School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2018, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Parkgate Junior School?
No fixed boundary. When Parkgate Junior 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 Parkgate Junior School?
Parkgate Junior School was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Parkgate Junior School?
Classes at Parkgate Junior School average 29.5 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 Parkgate Junior School?
Parkgate Junior School has around 236 pupils on roll. 15% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Parkgate Junior School?
4% of sessions were missed at Parkgate Junior School in 2024/25. 7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Parkgate Junior School?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Parkgate Junior School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
Does Parkgate Junior School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Parkgate Junior School: Super Star Sport NWL - Parkgate Infant and Nursery School - Wrap Around (410m away, registered, not yet graded) and Kumon Garston Study Centre (970m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
What are Parkgate Junior School's term dates?
Parkgate Junior 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 Parkgate Junior School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 38 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 29 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 11 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 Parkgate Junior School?
Parkgate Junior School is at Southwold Road, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD24 7DN.
Sources: Hertfordshire term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)