Sauncey Wood Primary School, Harpenden
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Sauncey Wood is a welcoming school where children quickly settle and make friends. The school has high expectations and provides excellent support for all learners, particularly children with special needs. Reading is prioritized effectively, and pupils develop a genuine love of books and strong vocabulary throughout their time at the school.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on reading with pupils becoming fluent readers and developing excellent vocabulary
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND who are well integrated and achieve well from their starting points
- Positive behaviour throughout the school with calm, purposeful atmosphere and strong relationships
- Ambitious curriculum that clearly sets out what pupils should learn and when
- Effective teaching with clear explanations, good questioning and opportunities to practise learning
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils have poor attendance - the school needs to work more urgently with families to improve this
- In a few subjects, the new curriculum is not yet fully embedded - teaching is inconsistent and pupils' written work does not always reflect their understanding
- Early years curriculum lacks precise clarity in some learning areas, meaning some children are not as well prepared for Year 1 as they could be
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Educational visits to zoo and botanical gardens, anti-bullying ambassador roles, school council, house captain positions, weekly singing assemblies
Sauncey Wood Primary School is a friendly school where pupils are polite, well-behaved and make good progress. Recent curriculum improvements are bearing fruit, with increasing numbers of pupils achieving well.
At a Glance
22.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability, SLCN - Speech, language and Communication, ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
65 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 73% to 79%. Maths has improved from 70% to 76%. Writing has improved from 40% to 72%.
Class Sizes
25.8
Avg class size
14.0
Infant (KS1)
28.8
KS2
5
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Social & online
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
70%
Available places
147 pupils
210 capacity
63 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Harpenden
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Harpenden
Admissions Demand - Hertfordshire
Places available
14,951
Applications
12,834
Got 1st preference
88.0%
Got preferred school
98.2%
Primary admissions across Hertfordshire (2025/26)
Inspection History(7)
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.
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.
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.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.97136%
Overall absence
20.73171%
Persistent absence
164
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Sauncey Wood Primary School
Nearby Schools
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