Primary school

Watford St John's Church of England Primary School

  • Free School
  • ages 4–11
  • Mixed
  • Church of England/Christian
  • Hertfordshire
  • WD17 1JJ
Ofsted areas (no overall grade) · inspected Feb 2025

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Results · 2024/25

Ranked 6,280 of 15,057 primaries in England · top 42%

Top % in England, by year
2022/23: top 69%69%2023/24: top 88%2024/25: top 42%

Against East of England

Expected standard, RWM67% · East of England 64%6/10 Middle
Higher standard, RWM13% · East of England 7%8/10 Above
Reading score106 · East of England 1065/10 Middle
Maths score106 · East of England 1056/10 Middle
Show KS2 results by year
Expected standard, RWM
2022/23: 54% · 28 pupils · East of England 61%2023/24: 43% · 28 pupils · East of England 63%2024/25: 67% · 60 pupils · East of England 64%67%43%
Higher standard, RWM
2022/23: 0% · 28 pupils · East of England 7%2023/24: 14% · 28 pupils · East of England 7%2024/25: 13% · 60 pupils · East of England 7%14%0%
Reading score
2022/23: 104 · 28 pupils · East of England 1052023/24: 103 · 28 pupils · East of England 1052024/25: 106 · 60 pupils · East of England 106106103
Maths score
2022/23: 101 · 28 pupils · East of England 1042023/24: 102 · 28 pupils · East of England 1042024/25: 106 · 60 pupils · East of England 105106101

Getting in · 2026

First-choice families who got in100.0%
41 of 41 who put it first2017 · 100.0%2026 · 100.0%
By preference
ChoiceAppliedOffered
1st4141
2nd357
3rd184

Last distance offered: London only

Inspections · 2019–2025

  • Personal developmentGood
  • Quality of educationRequires improvement
  • Behaviour and attitudesGood
  • Early years provisionRequires improvement
  • Leadership and managementRequires improvement
  • SafeguardingEffective
  1. 2019Good
  2. 2025Lowest Requires improvement

Pupils · 2024/25

On roll · Jan 2026401
Free school meals (past 6 years)12.2%
First language not English48.8%
SEN support9.8%
EHC plan2.7%
Absence (sessions missed)4.1%
Persistently absent pupils9.5%

Girls 50.7%Boys 49.3%

95.5% full · 420 places

Parent View

Earlier survey (before Nov 2025) · as at 1 Sep 2025 · 77 responses (18.8% of pupils)

  • My child is happy at this school93.5% agree
  • My child feels safe at this school92.2% agree
  • The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved92.2% agree
  • My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively · 59.7% not applicable64.5% agree
  • The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year83.1% agree
  • When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly · 22.1% not applicable85% agree
  • Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?24.7% yes
  • My child has SEND, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed · asked only of the 24.7% who said Yes above84.2% agree
  • The school has high expectations for my child79.2% agree
  • My child does well at this school90.9% agree
  • The school lets me know how my child is doing89.6% agree
  • There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school89.6% agree
  • My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school93.5% agree
  • The school supports my child's wider personal development84.4% agree
  • I would recommend this school to another parent88.3% yes

Workforce · 2025/26

Pupils per teacher24.3
Pupils per adult9.4
  • Classroom teachers 14.5
  • Leadership 2
  • Teaching assistants 26.1
  • Other support 6.6

Teachers 16.5 FTE · Whole workforce 49.3 · 73 people

Financials · 2024/25

Income per pupil£6,371
Spend per pupil£6,424
Staff spend per pupil£5,188
Reserve per pupil£473
  • +£194,000revenue reserve
  • −£22,000in-year balance

Grants £5,868 · self-generated £407 · premises £151 per pupil

Multi-academy trust: POPPY ACADEMY TRUST (3 academies) · trust reserve £470,000 · Reserves in a multi-academy trust belong to the trust; this academy's figures include the share of central costs the trust gives it