Waterside Academy, Welwyn Garden City

Ofsted's report card from its 24 February 2026 inspection grades Waterside Academy on 7 areas: 1 strong standard and 6 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Pupils attend school regularly."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Generally, pupils have the skills and knowledge they need to be ready for the next stage of their education."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have recently updated aspects of the curriculum to ensure that it is broad, balanced and carefully designed."

Early years - Expected standard. "The early years environment stimulates children's curiosity and encourages them to explore ideas."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Staff are well trained to identify pupils' needs accurately, whether they are special educational needs and/or disabilities or other needs."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "New leaders, appointed since the previous inspection, know the school well and clearly understand its context."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have put in place a clear personal development programme that meets pupils' needs."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should refine checks on pupils receiving targeted support, including in the early years, so that support remains effective and timely"; "Leaders should develop how staff identify and address gaps in learning so that pupils make consistent and sustained progress".

In its own words: "In our most recent Ofsted inspection (February 2026), Waterside Academy was recognised as meeting the Expected Standard overall, with a Strong Standard awarded for Attendance and Behaviour. Safeguarding standards were also fully met. To read our latest report, click here ."

From the headteacher's welcome: "At Waterside Academy, we believe every child deserves to feel safe, valued, inspired and successful. We are a warm, inclusive and ambitious school where children are known as individuals and genuinely sit at the heart of the decisions we make."

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am and after-school care, from £5.25 per session.

In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils at Waterside Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 64% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 76% in Hertfordshire and 77% and 75% across England.

Results were similar in 2024 (70% in reading, 74% in maths).

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 19 families put Waterside Academy as their first choice and 41 named it as one of their preferences, for 21 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Waterside Academy are The Holy Family Catholic Primary School (under 0.1 miles); St John's CofE Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 100% reading, 93% maths); Panshanger Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 90% reading, 90% maths); and Harwood Hill Junior Mixed Infant and Nursery School (0.8 miles, Good, 59% reading, 64% maths).

Waterside Academy's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.

Waterside Academy is one of 11 schools run by Agora Learning Partnership, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

29 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Waterside Academy (as of April 2026): 79% would recommend the school, 79% say their child is happy there and 57% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (86%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (57%).

41.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 45 pupils (27.1%) received SEN support and 9 (5.4%) 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.

Waterside Academy had 10 teachers in 2026, one for every 16 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Welwyn North Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.

2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Robin Mead (adjacent), 180 metres away.

In 2024/25, Waterside Academy issued 8 suspensions, 4.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Waterside Academy are Ridgeway Academy (0.7 miles) and Monk's Walk School (1.3 miles).