St Paul's Walden Primary School
Bendish Lane, Whitwell, Hitchin, SG4 8HXOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St Paul's Walden Primary School is a primary school in Hitchin for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 583 schools in Hertfordshire. It ranks 16th of 22 primary schools in Hitchin. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in March 2024.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 19 March 2024, report published 6 May 2024
- 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 19 March 2024
Pupils join a school where they learn to be positive, resilient individuals. They attend school regularly. Pupils arrive happily in the mornings and enter school chatting cheerfully. They live out the school values in the local community too. Pupils eagerly take part in church and village events. These include a Christingle celebration and the annual 'Whitfest' music show. Feeling part of the school and local community helps pupils feel happy, safe and valued. The nurturing environment and supportive community encourage pupils to be respectful and responsible. Pupils discuss the ways people differ kindly. This prepares them well for encountering people and places outside the surrounding villages. Pupils take on various roles, such as school councillors and sports leaders. These responsibilities allow them to contribute positively to school life. Buddying older pupils with younger ones ensures children feel comfortable from the moment they start the Reception Year. Pupils benefit greatly from how leaders have improved the curriculum. It shows, for example, in pupils confidently reading the books they receive or demonstrating how they calculate accurately in mathematics. Children in the Reception Year learn to 'have a go' because staff offer encouragement. Children progress well because staff skilfully guide them to add to their words, ideas and creations.
What the school should improve
- In some subjects, the school's approach to assessment does not provide enough information about what pupils have learned and remembered. As a result, teachers cannot efficiently use this information to plug gaps in pupils' knowledge. The school should modify this approach, so that checks on pupils' learning are efficient and helpful to inform future teaching.
- The school is in the process of finetuning the additional support for pupils with SEND. Some of this support lacks a clear measure by which to assess progress. Leaders should provide staff with the training and time to put in place precise support for pupils with SEND that aligns closely to their needs and which can be monitored efficiently and effectively to maximise pupils' achievement.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
7 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
74 pupils on roll, with places for 105
Schools near St Paul's Walden Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kimpton Primary School | 2 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | 50% met the expected standard |
| Breachwood Green Junior Mixed and Infant School | 2 miles | Report card: Needs attention to strong standard | 57% met the expected standard |
| Preston Primary School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | 27% met the expected standard |
| Codicote Church of England Primary School | 3 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding | 69% met the expected standard |
| Cockernhoe Endowed CofE Primary School | 4 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | 67% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Community school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 4 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Mrs Carolina Davey
- Phone
- 01438871241
- Address
- Bendish Lane, Whitwell, Hitchin, SG4 8HX
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire
- URN
- 117144
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.