Samuel Lucas Primary School, Hitchin
Samuel Lucas Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Hitchin. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 6th-highest of the 22 schools in Hitchin with published results, and 3,408th of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2023)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
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
Samuel Lucas Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 90% of Year 6 pupils at Samuel Lucas Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 80% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 76% in Hertfordshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 85% in reading and 77% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Samuel Lucas Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 68 families put Samuel Lucas Primary School as their first choice and 214 named it as one of their preferences, for 59 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 12 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Samuel Lucas Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Samuel Lucas Primary School are Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy (0.3 miles, Good, 80% reading, 79% maths); Oughton Primary and Nursery School (0.4 miles, Good, 55% reading, 72% maths); Highbury Infant School and Nursery (0.7 miles, Good); and Strathmore Infant and Nursery School (0.8 miles, Good).
Samuel Lucas Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 2 of them.
Wilshere-Dacre Junior AcademyOughton Primary and Nursery SchoolHighbury Infant School and NurseryStrathmore Infant and Nursery School
Who goes there
5.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 8.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (69%), Mixed (10%) and Asian (8%).
In 2026, 40 pupils (9.6%) received SEN support and 16 (3.8%) 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 Hitchin Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is West Hill (near), 250 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Samuel Lucas Primary School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
Samuel Lucas Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Samuel Lucas Primary School are Hitchin Boys' School (0.3 miles), Hitchin Girls' School (0.8 miles) and The Priory School (0.8 miles).
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; 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 · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its October 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
5.5%
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 improved from 85% to 90% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 80% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 73% to 83% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.7
Avg class size
29.7
Infant (KS1)
29.8
KS2
14
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Samuel Lucas Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Samuel Lucas Primary School.
- Premier Oughton Wrap Around Care690m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Samuel Lucas 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 Samuel Lucas Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Samuel Lucas 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
- 15
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 10 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot.
2 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 Samuel Lucas Primary School
Will you get a place at Samuel Lucas Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Samuel Lucas Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Samuel Lucas Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Samuel Lucas 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 Samuel Lucas 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
99%
Near capacity
416 pupils
420 places
4 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Hitchin
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Hitchin
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
40
SEN Support
16
EHC Plans
13.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
416
Total Pupils
217
Boys
199
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
21
Teachers
19.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,819
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,117
Per pupil
£2296k
Total funding
£33k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.3%
Overall absence
7.1%
Persistent absence
367
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
Samuel Lucas Primary School
Questions parents ask about Samuel Lucas Primary School
What are SATs results like at Samuel Lucas Primary School?
Of the pupils at Samuel Lucas Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 90% reached the expected standard in reading and 80% did so in maths.
What is Samuel Lucas Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Samuel Lucas Primary School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2023.
What is the catchment area for Samuel Lucas Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Samuel Lucas 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 Samuel Lucas Primary School?
Samuel Lucas Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Samuel Lucas Primary School?
Classes at Samuel Lucas Primary School average 29.7 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Samuel Lucas Primary School?
Samuel Lucas Primary School has around 416 pupils on roll. 6% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Samuel Lucas Primary School?
4.3% of sessions were missed at Samuel Lucas Primary School in 2024/25. 7.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Samuel Lucas Primary School?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Samuel Lucas 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 Samuel Lucas Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Samuel Lucas Primary School: Premier Oughton Wrap Around Care (690m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
What are Samuel Lucas Primary School's term dates?
Samuel Lucas 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 Samuel Lucas Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 10 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot. 2 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 Samuel Lucas Primary School?
Samuel Lucas Primary School is at Gaping Lane, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 2JQ.
Sources: Hertfordshire term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)