Ardeley St Lawrence Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

  • Primary
  • Local authority maintained
  • Ages 3 to 11
Ofsted: Good

School Lane, Ardeley, Stevenage, SG2 7AJOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Ardeley St Lawrence Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is a primary school in Stevenage for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 583 schools in Hertfordshire. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in September 2022.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 21 September 2022, report published 13 November 2022

Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Early years provision
Good
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 21 September 2022

Pupils love their school because they learn well, play happily and feel safe. Pupils know that their teachers care about them. Pupils' welfare is at the forefront of every adult's mind. Pupils say there is always an adult to help them if they ever have a concern. Pupils have high expectations of their own and others' behaviour. This is because their teachers have helped instil important values such as respect, kindness and tolerance. Bullying almost never happens. Should it occur, pupils know staff will deal with it immediately. Pupils are motivated and enthusiastic about their learning. They gain knowledge quickly because their teachers know how to structure learning clearly. Pupils participate in a rich variety of visits and extra-curricular activities which help reinforce what they learn in school. They explore fine art, learn about Greek mythology, care for farm animals and read about people who are different from them. These experiences help them to develop a wider understanding of the world around them. As a result of this, pupils become responsible, compassionate and open-minded citizens. Parents are very happy with the quality of education their children receive.

What the school should improve

  • Leaders' evaluation of a small number of areas of school life, such as behaviour and attendance, is not as rigorous as it might be. As a result of this, leaders do Primary School 3 not precisely know how well some school policies are working or if their actions are having the impact they intended. Leaders must continue their development of quality assurance systems so that they have a more accurate picture of how the school is performing.
  • In some areas of the curriculum, some teachers do not ensure pupils have regular opportunities to apply their knowledge independently as intended. As a result of this, pupils do not gain more complex knowledge as well as they might. Leaders need to ensure that all teachers implement the planned curriculum so that pupils have more opportunities to build more complex knowledge and apply this without adult support.

Pupil numbers and mix

46 pupils on roll, with places for 90

Eligible for free school meals39.1%

39.1%, 12.6 percentage points above the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language2.2%

2.2%, 19.4 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support34.8%

34.8%, 20 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan13%

13%, 7 percentage points above the England average of 6%.

Schools near Ardeley St Lawrence Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Walkern Primary School1 mileOfsted: Good79% met the expected standard
Benington Church of England Primary School2 milesOfsted: Good82% met the expected standard
Martins Wood Primary School3 milesReport card: Expected standard65% met the expected standard
Round Diamond Primary School3 milesOfsted: Outstanding79% met the expected standard
Lodge Farm Primary School3 milesOfsted judgements: Requires improvement to good37% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Voluntary aided school
Sector
Local authority maintained
Age range
3 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England
Nursery classes
Yes
Headteacher
Mrs Barbara Young
Address
School Lane, Ardeley, Stevenage, SG2 7AJ
Local authority
Hertfordshire
URN
117420

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.