Applecroft School
Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6JZ · Hertfordshire · primary school
Check the area around this school
53rd of 337 primary schools in Hertfordshire we can score, 398 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 8.5/10 against 3,942 of them, against 8.7/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expected standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 78.0 · 84 | 40% | 3.36 |
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.82 |
| Higher standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 20.0 · 92 | 25% | 2.30 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Applecroft School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 78.0% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths, compared to the national median of 64%. The higher standard was reached by 20.0% of pupils, against a national median of 7%. Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds, so they are not simply a reflection of who attends (8.5 out of 10 against similar schools, 8.7 out of 10 against all schools). Ofsted rated the school Good in January 2024.
Getting in
The published school roll is 454 pupils against a stated capacity of 450. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
With the last inspection in early 2024, what specific improvements have been made to the curriculum since then? How does the school support pupils who are working towards the higher standard in core subjects?
What Ofsted said about Applecroft School
Overview
Pupils are described as happy and safe within their ‘Applecroft family’, making meaningful contributions to the community. The school provides an ambitious curriculum with high expectations, resulting in strong attendance and effective teaching in most subjects. Personal development is highlighted as a particular strength, with pupils demonstrating maturity, resilience, and a strong sense of leadership.
Strengths
- Personal development is ‘Outstanding’, with pupils taking central roles in leadership, such as managing lunchtime flow, and participating in an ‘impressive offer’ of extra-curricular activities.
- Reading is prioritised through a ‘well-sequenced phonics curriculum’, ensuring most pupils learn to read with confidence and ‘read for pleasure daily’.
- Pupils are ‘polite, friendly and confident’, with ‘low-level disruption’ being very rare and older pupils described as ‘motivated and resilient learners’.
- The school caters effectively for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), ensuring they ‘learn well’ and do not ‘stand out from their peers’.
- Safeguarding arrangements are ‘effective’, and pupils know how to keep themselves safe both online and offline.
Areas to improve
- Some teachers lack the ‘precise subject knowledge’ needed to teach specialised aspects of the new curriculum, meaning a few pupils do not recall key knowledge as well as they should.
- Leaders need to gain a ‘precise understanding of the relative strengths and weaknesses’ in the new curriculum to accurately prioritise staff training and support.
Safeguarding
The report states that ‘the arrangements for safeguarding are effective’.
Results over time
Expected standard (reading, writing, maths), the years we hold.
| Year | Expected standard (reading, writing, maths) |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 60% |
| 2023/24 | 75% |
| 2024/25 | 78% |
| England | 64% |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 14,326 state schools in England we hold a 2024/25 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2027
- Primary National Offer Day16 Apr 2027
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2028
- Primary National Offer Day17 Apr 2028
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