Saffron Walden County High School
Saffron Walden County High School
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Details
Type
Academy Converter
Local Authority
Essex
Academy Trust
SAFFRON ACADEMY TRUST
Head Teacher
Ms Polly Lankester
Gender
Mixed
Admissions
Non-selective
Religious Character
Does not apply
Opened
June 2011
Website
www.swchs.net
Reference Number
136776
Additional Provisions
About This Data
- •School information is sourced from Get Information About Schools (GIAS), the official UK government register maintained by the Department for Education.
Admissions
How many families applied and received places
Year 7 entry for 2025/26
On Time Applications
| Count | |
|---|---|
| Total applications | 559 |
| As 1st preference | 367 |
| As 2nd preference | 94 |
| As 3rd preference | 36 |
| From another local authority | 34 |
Offers on National Offer Day
| Count | |
|---|---|
| Total offers | 298 |
| To 1st preference | 296 |
| To 2nd preference | 2 |
| To 3rd preference | 0 |
| To any preference | 298 |
| To another local authority | 2 |
About This Data
- •Data sourced from the DfE "Primary and secondary school applications and offers" statistics.
- •Total applications includes all preferences (1st through 6th), not just those shown in the breakdown above.
- •Applications and offers from/to another local authority may also appear in preference rows (e.g., a 1st preference from another local authority counts in both rows).
- •"Oversubscribed" means the school received more 1st preference applications than places offered.
- •This school is a academy converter, admissions are controlled by the school itself, we advise you contact the school or check their website for further information. This school's local authority is Essex.
Pupils
Summary
Class Sizes
Total Pupils
Cohort Sizes
Pupil Ethnicities
About This Data
- •Data sourced from the National School Census for 2024/25, collected each January.
- •This is not live data. For current availability of places, contact the school or local authority directly.
- •Capacity refers to the maximum number of pupils a school can accommodate. Schools may operate above or below capacity, and spare places may only be available in certain year groups.
- •Persistent absence means a pupil missed 10% or more of their possible sessions during the academic year. Absence rates during 2020–2022 were significantly higher due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Inspections
Ofsted Inspections
4 inspections on record
- 2024Outstanding
Category Judgements
Category Judgement Quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding AI-Generated Insights
Curriculum2- Pupils achieve highly with a curriculum that builds on prior learning.
- Teachers support weaker readers effectively with subject-specific vocabulary.
Leadership2- Leaders ensure staff are well supported and provide excellent provision.
- Trustees and governors contribute to excellent provision for all pupils.
Safeguarding2- Pupils with special educational needs receive bespoke and targeted help.
- All staff are skilled in supporting pupils with SEND.
Pupil Progress2- Pupils achieve exceptionally well with strong support.
- Teachers quickly intervene when pupils struggle with learning.
Teaching Quality2- Teachers have strong subject knowledge and use effective strategies.
- Teachers are clear and precise when explaining new information.
Personal Development2- Pupils develop leadership skills and have access to diverse opportunities.
- Pupils leave with secure knowledge of future opportunities.
Behaviour & Attendance2- Pupils are respectful and have excellent manners.
- Pastoral care is provided in designated areas for pupils needing support.
Insights are generated by AI from the inspection report and may not be fully accurate.
- 2013
- 2012Outstanding
About This Data
- •Inspection data is sourced from Ofsted, the official schools inspectorate for England.
- •Ratings may have changed since the last inspection. Always check the latest report for current information.
- •Some inspections (monitoring visits, academy conversions) do not result in a graded judgement.
GCSE Results
| Result | School | LA | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 score | 56.7 | 46.1 | 46.9 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 62.5% | 45.7% | 46.2% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 81.6% | 65.1% | 65.4% |
| Entering EBacc | 75.4% | — | — |
| EBacc average point score | 5.4 | 4.1 | 4.1 |
Pupils at this school made slightly more progress than similar pupils nationally
About This Data
- •Schools are ranked by their Attainment 8 score, which shows overall exam results. This data comes from the Department for Education performance tables.
- •Exam results and progress scores tell you different things. Imagine two children climbing a mountain: one starts at the bottom and climbs halfway up, while another starts a third of the way up and climbs another third. The second child climbed less distance but finished higher up. Exam results show where pupils finished (like height on the mountain), while progress scores show how far they've come since primary school (like distance climbed). Progress scores help you understand how much a school has helped pupils improve, regardless of where they started.
Destinations
Where students go after finishing their studies
Destinations after GCSEs
| Destination | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| Staying in education | 89% | 86% |
| ...Further education | 11% | 37% |
| ...School sixth form | — | 34% |
| ...Sixth form college | — | 13% |
| ...Other education destinations | 0% | 2% |
| In employment | 3% | 3% |
| Apprenticeships | 2% | 3% |
| Not in education or employment | — | 6% |
| Destination unknown | — | 3% |
About This Data
- •This shows where students went after completing their GCSEs, tracked for at least two terms into the following academic year.
- •A sustained destination means the student remained in education, employment, or training for at least two terms (October to March).
- •England averages are shown for comparison. Each school's results will vary based on their student intake and local area.
Workforce
Staff numbers and pupil-to-teacher ratios
Pupils per Teacher or Teaching Assistant
Shows how many children each teacher looks after on average. The lower line includes teaching assistants, giving you a better picture of the adult support available in classrooms.
Total Pupils
The number of children enrolled at this school over time. These figures come from financial records and may differ slightly from other pupil numbers on this site due to when data was collected.
Total Number of Teachers
The total teaching capacity at this school, including classroom teachers and senior staff who also teach. Part-time teachers are counted based on their working hours.
Teaching Assistants
Support staff who work directly with children in classrooms. This includes regular TAs, higher-level TAs with more responsibilities, and specialist support for children with additional needs.
Teachers with Qualified Teacher Status (%)
The percentage of teachers who have completed official teacher training in England. A higher percentage typically indicates a more experienced and formally trained teaching team.
Senior Leadership
The school's leadership team, including the headteacher, deputy heads and assistant heads. These staff manage the school and often still spend time in classrooms.
Non-classroom Support Staff and Auxiliary Staff
Office and admin staff who keep the school running smoothly, plus auxiliary staff like catering teams and site maintenance who look after the building and meals.
Total Headcount and Workforce
Two ways of counting staff: headcount shows total people employed (including part-timers), while workforce counts the equivalent number of full-time positions.
About This Data
- •Data sourced from the DfE School Workforce Census. Numbers may not match exactly other data shown on this site due to different collection timings within the academic year.
- •FTE = Full-time equivalent, representing the total working hours divided by standard full-time hours. Headcount = total number of individuals employed.
- •Senior leadership includes headteachers, deputy headteachers and assistant headteachers.
- •Teachers with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) have completed accredited initial teacher training in England.
Finances
2023/24
Income per Pupil (£)
In 2023/24 the revenue reserve was £681,370 or £320 p/pupil. Schools maintain reserves for unexpected costs, but these funds are ultimately meant to benefit pupils.
Expenditure per Pupil (£)
In 2023/24 the in-year balance was -£94,093 or -£44 p/pupil. A negative balance means the school spent more than it received, covered by drawing on reserves.
About This Data
- •Financial data comes from the DfE School Financial Benchmarking service. Schools report their income and spending each year.
- •Revenue reserve is the money a school has saved up over time. Schools keep reserves to cover unexpected costs, though funds are meant to benefit current pupils.
- •In-year balance shows whether a school spent more or less than it received in a single year. A positive balance means the school had money left over; a negative balance means it dipped into savings.