Watchlytes Primary School, Welwyn Garden City
Watchlytes Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Welwyn Garden City, part of Ivy Learning Trust. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 8th-highest of the 15 schools in Welwyn Garden City with published results, and 5,775th of 14,452 across England. It was 70% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Hertfordshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Watchlytes Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 76% of Year 6 pupils at Watchlytes Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 84% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 76% in Hertfordshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 75% in reading and 79% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Watchlytes Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 16 families put Watchlytes Primary School as their first choice and 46 named it as one of their preferences, for 19 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Watchlytes Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Watchlytes Primary School are Springmead Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 80% reading, 55% maths); Panshanger Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 90% reading, 90% maths); Swallow Dell Primary and Nursery School (0.6 miles, Requires improvement, 82% reading, 84% maths); and Holwell Primary School (1 mile, Good, 86% reading, 88% maths).
Watchlytes Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Springmead Primary SchoolPanshanger Primary SchoolSwallow Dell Primary and Nursery SchoolHolwell Primary School
The trust
Watchlytes Primary School is one of 17 schools run by Ivy Learning Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 74% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
34 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Watchlytes Primary School (as of April 2026): 85% would recommend the school, 91% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (82%).
Staffing
Watchlytes Primary School had 10 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 Welwyn Garden City Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Waterford Green (near), 90 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Watchlytes Primary School issued 10 suspensions, 6.3 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 multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 10 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards: met
Watchlytes Primary School has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in December 2022. Before that, as Watchlytes Primary School (URN 117348), it was rated Inadequate in September 2021.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's December 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school is a caring place where every child matters and receives the support they need to thrive. From the moment children arrive in nursery, they benefit from excellent teaching and rich learning experiences that help them develop into confident, well-rounded young people. The school has created a calm, welcoming environment where pupils behave well, enjoy learning, and feel part of a supportive community.
Key Strengths
- Early years provision is excellent with highly ambitious curriculum and rich interactions helping children develop confidence and independence
- Strong focus on phonics and early reading skills with most pupils keeping pace with the programme
- Inclusive culture with well-tailored support for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, enabling them to access the full curriculum
- Calm and purposeful school environment where pupils behave well and are eager to learn
- Significant improvements made by current leadership team with staff fully engaged in the school's improvement journey
Areas for Improvement
- Some older pupils have gaps in knowledge in certain subjects from weaker teaching in the past, though these gaps are diminishing
- High-quality teaching practice needs to be made more consistent across all subjects of the curriculum
- Leaders focusing on improving pupil punctuality and on-time school arrival
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met. Leaders and governors have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Broad range of clubs and activities, playground equipment and activities, school council, community partnerships with local police
Watchlytes Primary School is a welcoming and inclusive school where pupils learn and achieve well across a coherent and ambitious curriculum. Since new leaders joined the school, there has been significant improvement in provision, particularly in the early years.
At a Glance
32.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
34 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 76% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 79% to 84% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 83% to 76% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
22.6
Avg class size
26.5
Infant (KS1)
22.5
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Watchlytes Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Watchlytes Primary School.
- Premier Watchlytes Wrap Around CareAt the school · Not yet graded
- Barracudas � Welwyn Ridgeway550m away · Not yet graded
- Rising Stars Wrap Around Clubs720m away · Not yet graded
- Stagecoach Welwyn Garden City940m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Watchlytes Primary School is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Hertfordshire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Watchlytes Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Watchlytes 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
- 13
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 3 serious and 9 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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 Watchlytes Primary School
Will you get a place at Watchlytes Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Watchlytes Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Watchlytes Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Watchlytes 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 Watchlytes Primary School for 2023 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
70%
Available places
147 pupils
210 places
63 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Welwyn Garden City
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Welwyn Garden City
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: Every first choice offered
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
22
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
19.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
158
Total Pupils
87
Boys
71
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
15.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£60,089
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,184
Per pupil
£1080k
Total funding
£71k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.0%
Overall absence
14.4%
Persistent absence
146
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
Watchlytes Primary School
Questions parents ask about Watchlytes Primary School
What are SATs results like at Watchlytes Primary School?
Of the pupils at Watchlytes Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 76% reached the expected standard in reading and 84% did so in maths.
What is Watchlytes Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Watchlytes Primary School has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in December 2022. Before that, as Watchlytes Primary School (URN 117348), it was rated Inadequate in September 2021.
What is the catchment area for Watchlytes Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Watchlytes 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 Watchlytes Primary School?
Watchlytes Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 70% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at Watchlytes Primary School?
Classes at Watchlytes Primary School average 22.6 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Watchlytes Primary School?
Watchlytes Primary School has around 158 pupils on roll. 33% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Watchlytes Primary School?
6% of sessions were missed at Watchlytes Primary School in 2024/25. 14.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Watchlytes Primary School?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Watchlytes 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 Watchlytes Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Premier Watchlytes Wrap Around Care (registered, not yet graded). There are 3 more within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Watchlytes Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 3 serious and 9 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Watchlytes Primary School?
Watchlytes Primary School is at Watchlytes, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 2AZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)