Buntingford First School

  • Primary
  • Free school
  • Ages 2 to 9
Report card: Expected standard to strong standard

London Road, Buntingford, SG9 9HZOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Buntingford First School is a primary school in Buntingford for ages 2 to 9. It is one of the 583 schools in Hertfordshire. Its latest Ofsted outcome is a report card, from an inspection in May 2026.

Ofsted report card

Inspected 19 May 2026, report published 28 June 2026

Each area is graded from urgent improvement to exceptional, and safeguarding is either met or not met.

Inclusion
Strong standard
Curriculum and teaching
Expected standard
Achievement
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing
Strong standard
Leadership and governance
Strong standard
Early years
Strong standard
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 19 May 2026

Pupils are happy and safe in this warm, welcoming and inclusive community. Staff take time to get to know pupils' needs very well. Attentive, caring staff put in effective help and support so pupils thrive and succeed. Pupils behave well and focus on their learning with resilience. Pupils listen to others' opinions with respect and contribute sensibly to discussions. They show kindness to each other and play happily on the playground together. Staff ensure that poor behaviour, such as rare incidents of bullying, are dealt with effectively. Pupils trust adults to sort out issues. The 'values' ambassadors take pride in awarding house points for those pupils that contribute positively to school life. Children in early years get off to a strong start due to the highly effective early years provision. Staff support children to develop important language skills and to learn new words. Staff support children to grow in independence. As a result, children take great joy in playing, talking and learning together. A wealth of books, stories and rhymes ensure children love reading and build important reading knowledge. Children become confident, resilient individuals, ready for learning in Year 1 and beyond. The personal development programme is a strength of the school. It is tightly linked to the school's values. Through this, pupils develop detailed knowledge about themselves and the world around them. Older pupils take their leadership roles seriously. They are fantastic role models for younger pupils. Pupils lead assemblies which show their knowledge of key topics such as fair trade and the importance of sustainability. Pupils access a rich range of clubs, trips and other experiences. Each experience is carefully designed to meet pupils' needs and aspirations and is linked to the personal development offer. Pupils support local charities, meet inspirational people and take part in clubs that expand their talents and interests.

What the school should improve

  • Leaders should ensure that highly effective teaching is embedded consistently throughout the school so pupils can further deepen their knowledge of important content.
  • Leaders should continue to embed and refine their effective attendance strategies to support all pupils to attend well.

Pupil numbers and mix

165 pupils on roll, with places for 330

Eligible for free school meals18.8%

18.8%, 7.7 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language3%

3%, 18.6 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support13.3%

13.3%, 1.5 percentage points below the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan3%

3%, 3 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near Buntingford First School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Millfield First and Nursery School0.7 milesOfsted: GoodNot published
Layston Church of England First School0.9 milesOfsted: Requires improvementNot published
Edwinstree Church of England Middle School1 mileOfsted: Good43% met the expected standard
Hormead Church of England (VA) First School2 milesOfsted: GoodNot published
Jenyns First School and Nursery3 milesOfsted judgements: GoodNot published

School details

School type
Free schools
Sector
Free school
Trust
SCHOLARS' EDUCATION TRUST
Age range
2 to 9
Gender
Mixed
Nursery classes
Yes
Headteacher
Mrs Vikki Johnston
Address
London Road, Buntingford, SG9 9HZ
Local authority
Hertfordshire
URN
149748

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.