Saffron Walden County High School, Saffron Walden

Outstanding
Secondary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 1118

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Ms Polly Lankester
Pupils:2,157 / 2,050 capacity
LA:Essex
Phone:01799513030
Website:swchs.net
Address:Audley End Road, Saffron Walden, CB11 4UH
Trust:SAFFRON ACADEMY TRUST
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 June 2011

Ofsted Rating

Outstanding

Overall

URN:136776
UKPRN:10033783
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:North West Essex
Urban/Rural:Urban: Further from a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

Ofsted rated this school Outstanding.

A plain-English summary of the full inspection report is coming soon.

At a Glance

10.3%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

21.7

Avg class size

88

Total classes

8 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

High School (opp)
89m · 1 min walk
Lower School Gate (o/s)
193m · 3 min walk
Adams Court (opp)
340m · 6 min walk
Loompits Way (opp)
407m · 7 min walk
Council Offices (opp)
433m · 7 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

105%

Over capacity

2,157 pupils

2,050 capacity

107 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Saffron Walden

High pressure
New homes approved:824
Projected new pupils:148

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Saffron Walden

Admissions Demand - Essex

Low demand0.96x oversubscription

Places available

17,576

Applications

16,788

Got 1st preference

83.8%

Got preferred school

97.1%

Secondary admissions across Essex (2025/26)

Inspection History(102)

Date not published by Ofsted
Outstanding
Date not published by Ofsted
Outstanding
Date not published by Ofsted
Outstanding

House Prices

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

7.15885%

Overall absence

17.57022%

Persistent absence

1,531

Enrolments

Authorised4.52986%
Unauthorised2.62898%
Persistent (10%+)17.57022%
Severe (50%+)2.28609%

Absence trend

4.54711%
18/19
3.96028%
20/21
9.14858%
21/22
7.73773%
22/23
7.20511%
23/24
7.15885%
24/25
Overall absence rate

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

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