Watford St John's Church of England Primary School, Watford
Watford St John's Church of England Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Watford, part of Poppy Academy Trust. It has a Church of England/Christian religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 23rd-highest of the 29 schools in Watford with published results, and 7,842nd of 14,452 across England. It was 97% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
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
Watford St John's Church of England Primary School in detail
Watford St John's Church of England Primary School in its own words
The school runs after-school care.
Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils at Watford St John's Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 72% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 76% in Hertfordshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 68% in reading and 57% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Watford St John's Church of England Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 41 families put Watford St John's Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 108 named it as one of their preferences, for 53 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 Watford St John's Church of England Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Watford St John's Church of England Primary School are Central Primary School (0.3 miles, Requires improvement, 81% reading, 79% maths); Chater Junior School (0.4 miles, Outstanding, 78% reading, 75% maths); Lanchester Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 76% reading, 81% maths); and Chater Infant School (0.6 miles, Good).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Watford St John's Church of England Primary School.
Central Primary SchoolChater Junior SchoolLanchester Primary SchoolChater Infant School
The trust
Watford St John's Church of England Primary School is one of 3 schools run by Poppy Academy Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
77 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Watford St John's Church of England Primary School (as of September 2025): 88% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 77% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (94%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (77%).
Who goes there
12.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 49.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (24%), Black (16%) and Asian (14%).
In 2026, 38 pupils (9.5%) received SEN support and 20 (5%) 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 Watford Junction Rail Station, about 590 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Clarendon Road, 40 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 702 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Hertfordshire (138), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Watford St John's Church of England Primary School issued 3 suspensions, 0.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Watford St John's Church of England Primary School are Watford Grammar School for Girls (0.4 miles), Watford Grammar School for Boys (0.8 miles), Westfield Academy (1.1 miles) and Queens' School (1.2 miles).
Watford Grammar School for GirlsWatford Grammar School for BoysWestfield AcademyQueens' School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from June 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Your child will enjoy coming to school in a caring environment where they feel safe and respected. The school teaches a wide range of subjects and is committed to helping children learn to read well. Pupils with additional needs receive tailored support to help them succeed.
Key Strengths
- Pupils behave well and feel safe, with strong relationships between staff and students
- The school has a broad curriculum with a clear focus on reading, writing and mathematics
- Effective support for pupils with special educational needs helps them progress well
- Positive culture promoting kindness, inclusivity and mutual respect
- Good attendance support with improvements for pupils who previously struggled
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers do not consistently check what pupils know, leading to gaps in learning and difficulties retaining information
- Reading and phonics programme not implemented consistently, so some pupils struggle with fluency
- Early years activities do not always develop children's curiosity or build on prior knowledge
- Inconsistency in curriculum delivery across subjects means some pupils lack needed support
- Leadership changes and staffing challenges have slowed school improvements
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff listening to and helping pupils when they have worries.
Extracurricular Activities
School council, lunchtime and after-school clubs, educational visits linked to curriculum, play leader roles
Watford St John's Church of England Primary School is a primary school where pupils enjoy learning and behave well, but the quality of education requires improvement due to inconsistencies in how teachers check pupils' understanding and deliver the curriculum.
At a Glance
12.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
77 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 68% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 57% to 72% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 61% to 78% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.6
Avg class size
29.3
Infant (KS1)
28.1
KS2
14
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Watford St John's Church of England Primary School
Autum Fair, 26th September 2026
24 Sep 2026
First Day at School, Reception 2026
11 Sep 2026
EYFS & Key Stage One Sports Day 2026
29 Jun 2026
Year 6 Residential 2026: PGL
15 Jun 2026
St John's Magical Disco with Mr Marvel June 2026
15 Jun 2026
Summer Fair, 27th June '26, 11am- 2pm
15 Jun 2026
From Watford St John's Church of England Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Watford St John's Church of England Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Watford St John's Church of England Primary School.
- Barracudas Watford750m away · Not yet graded
- Kidz Zone Club - Lanchester Primary School930m away · Not yet graded
- Super Star Sport NWL - Field Junior School Wrap Around980m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Watford St John's Church of England Primary School is a free school, 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
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Watford St John's Church of England Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Watford St John's Church of England 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
- 103
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 16
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 103 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 16 serious and 87 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise.
17 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 Watford St John's Church of England Primary School
Will you get a place at Watford St John's Church of England Primary School? Get the admissions report
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What the report includes for Watford St John's Church of England Primary School:
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- We hold no last distance offered figures from Hertfordshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Watford St John's Church of England Primary School for 2017 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
97%
Near capacity
407 pupils
420 places
13 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Watford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Watford
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(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
38
SEN Support
20
EHC Plans
14.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
401
Total Pupils
208
Boys
193
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
19
Teachers
21.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£39,880
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,197
Per pupil
£2315k
Total funding
£70k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.1%
Overall absence
9.5%
Persistent absence
378
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
Watford St John's Church of England Primary School
Questions parents ask about Watford St John's Church of England Primary School
What are SATs results like at Watford St John's Church of England Primary School?
Of the pupils at Watford St John's Church of England Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 80% reached the expected standard in reading and 72% did so in maths.
What is Watford St John's Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Watford St John's Church of England Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Watford St John's Church of England Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Watford St John's Church of England 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 Watford St John's Church of England Primary School?
Watford St John's Church of England Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Watford St John's Church of England Primary School?
Classes at Watford St John's Church of England Primary School average 28.6 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Watford St John's Church of England Primary School?
Watford St John's Church of England Primary School has around 401 pupils on roll. 13% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Watford St John's Church of England Primary School?
4.1% of sessions were missed at Watford St John's Church of England Primary School in 2024/25. 9.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Watford St John's Church of England Primary School?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Watford St John's Church of England 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 Watford St John's Church of England Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 3 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Watford St John's Church of England Primary School: Barracudas Watford (750m away, registered, not yet graded), Kidz Zone Club - Lanchester Primary School (930m away, registered, not yet graded) and Super Star Sport NWL - Field Junior School Wrap Around (980m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Watford St John's Church of England Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 103 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 16 serious and 87 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise. 17 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 Watford St John's Church of England Primary School?
Watford St John's Church of England Primary School is at 32 Clarendon Road, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD17 1JJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)