Saffron Walden County High School, Saffron Walden

In its own words: "The mission of Saffron Walden County High School is to be 'a local school of exceptional quality', what this means in practice is that we constantly strive to provide the highest quality education to young people in the Saffron Walden area."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Saffron Walden County High School. At SWCHS, we believe that every child deserves to go to an excellent school. It should be a school that understands them, allows them to flourish and be happy, and helps them to achieve in order to make the best possible academic progress whatever their ability or circumstances."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include drama, robotics and Duke of Edinburgh.

In 2026, pupils at Saffron Walden County High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 55.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.5 in Essex and 47 across England.

65% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 45% in Essex and 47% in England.

That is down from 59.7 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.28: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 37.8, against 57.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 20.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 26 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Art and Design.

For September 2026 entry, 344 families put Saffron Walden County High School as their first choice and 536 named it as one of their preferences, for 290 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 55 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

Saffron Walden County High School is one of 9 schools run by Saffron Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 51 in 2024/25.

Of the 293 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 92% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 15% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 304 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 61% went on to university or other higher education, 3% to apprenticeships and 21% into work. 32% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

8.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 6.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Audley End Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.

5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is High School (opposite), 90 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Saffron Walden County High School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 56 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Essex (97).

In 2024/25, Saffron Walden County High School issued 179 suspensions, 8.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Saffron Walden County High School are R A Butler Infant School (0.6 miles); R A Butler Junior School (0.6 miles); St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden (0.6 miles); and St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.