Parkgate Junior School
Southwold Road, Watford, WD24 7DNOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Parkgate Junior School is a primary school in Watford for ages 7 to 11. It is one of the 583 schools in Hertfordshire. It ranks 14th of 29 primary schools in Watford. Its latest Ofsted rating is Outstanding, from an inspection in June 2018.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 21 June 2018, report published 18 July 2018
- Overall effectiveness
- Outstanding
- Leadership and management
- Outstanding
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 2 July 2024
This is a welcoming and vibrant school. Pupils enjoy coming here. They are safe, cared for and valued. They benefit from senior leaders and staff who constantly work hard to improve the curriculum and pupils' wider experiences. Staff want pupils to succeed. Pupils appreciate that lessons are interesting and that support is there when needed. Their learning is aided by easy access to technology. Many pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well from their starting points. Pupils like belonging to a diverse school and learning about each other's heritage and religion. Staff encourage pupils to debate and share their views. This helps foster mutual respect. As a result, pupils get on very well together. They make firm friendships. They are confident that adults will always help them with any worries. Pupils listen in lessons and behave very well, including at break times. They enjoy basketball, using the outdoor gym equipment and games with the sports coach. Pupils regularly influence school decisions. Many have leadership roles, such as 'play leaders' and 'digital leaders'. Trips, swimming and a residential are popular. Pupils take part in international projects, enter for national eco-awards and work closely with local charities. This includes a joint art project with local senior citizens.
What the school should improve
- For a few pupils with SEND, learning targets set are not sufficiently precise. This means that support for these pupils is not as effective as they require. The school must ensure that these pupils' targets are specifically aligned to address their exact learning needs. Staff need to then identify the most appropriate actions needed to support pupils to quickly achieve these targets.
- The feedback given to pupils about how to deepen their knowledge in foundation subjects and in writing is not consistently precise enough. As a result, pupils are not securing knowledge in the level of depth and detail to meet the ambitious curriculum aims. The school needs to ensure that all staff consistently provide pupils with specific feedback on how to extend their knowledge in foundation subjects and in their writing. The school must check that this feedback is acted on so pupils gain that deeper understanding and achieve more highly.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
60 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
236 pupils on roll, with places for 240
Schools near Parkgate Junior School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parkgate Infants' and Nursery School | 0.3 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Knutsford Primary Academy | 0.4 miles | Ofsted: Good | 72% met the expected standard |
| Beechfield School | 0.6 miles | Ofsted: Good | 72% met the expected standard |
| Cherry Tree Primary School | 0.6 miles | Ofsted: Good | 48% met the expected standard |
| The Grove Academy | 0.7 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding | 64% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Community school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 7 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Mrs Kellie Barton
- Phone
- 01923243905
- Address
- Southwold Road, Watford, WD24 7DN
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire
- URN
- 117162
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.