Saffron Walden County High School
Saffron Walden, CB11 4UH · Essex · secondary school
Check the area around this school
7th of 78 secondary schools in Essex we can score, 81 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 479 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 4.4/10 among them, against 8.1/10 nationally. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 94 | 35% | 3.29 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 64.7 · 87 | 30% | 2.60 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.28 · 71 | 25% | 1.78 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 55.8 · 86 | 10% | 0.86 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Saffron Walden County High School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 66.3% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 59.7, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.28 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did better than those nationally who started from the same place. Ofsted rated the school Outstanding in May 2024. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 4.7 out of 10 among them, against 8.2 out of 10 nationally.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join Politics club, One World Group, Robotics, Codebreaking, and Homework Club. The school offers School Productions, a Music Tour in 2026, and Battlefields trips. An after-school club is available.
Getting in
The published school roll is 2,157 pupils against a stated capacity of 2,050. 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
How does the school support pupils in the Robotics and Codebreaking clubs to extend their learning? What specific support is available for pupils aiming to improve their Progress 8 scores?
What Ofsted said about Saffron Walden County High School
Overview
Pupils “thrive” at this school, benefiting from a “strong sense of community” and high academic expectations. The report describes an environment where students “love learning” and display “exceptional standards of behaviour,” supported by “superb” relationships with staff.
Strengths
- Teachers possess “excellent subject knowledge” and use “effective strategies” to teach, ensuring pupils “achieve exceptionally well.”
- The curriculum is “ambitious and challenging,” building well on previous learning to help pupils develop “cultural knowledge and understanding.”
- Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is “bespoke and targeted,” allowing them to “successfully thrive alongside their peers.”
- Sixth-form students are “supported exceptionally well,” with “expert care” and “Life Lessons” that prepare them for the future.
- Personal development is “exemplary,” featuring an “extensive” careers programme and opportunities for leadership, travel, and the arts.
Areas to improve
The report identifies no significant areas for improvement.
Safeguarding
The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 56.7 |
| 2024/25 | 59.7 |
| 2025/26 | 55.8 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 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
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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