In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, fewer than across England. Results at 11 are close to England, and results at 16 were close to England in 2026. Attendance is close to the England figure.
Cheshunt at a glance
Behind England on primary inspections
How Cheshunt's schools compare with England, area by area.
Schools and nurseries3613 primary · 4 secondary · 19 nurseries
Primaries Good or better80%England 96%
Met the standard at 1160%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths46%Attainment 8 46.6, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary24%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school19%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Cheshunt
Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.
Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.
Worked out by Eduscope from each school's published figures. Not an official statistic for this town.
Numbers that sum up Cheshunt
CheshuntEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 10 primaries with one.
80%
England 96%
Below England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
2 of the 2 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
60%
England 62%
Close to England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
46%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
19%
England 18%
Close to England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
24%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 13 schools that have one.
85%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding1
Good10
Requires improvement2
Inadequate0
How it has changed
Cheshunt in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1160% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths46% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school19% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here
What it's like for families
Cheshunt has 36 schools and nurseries.
There are 5% more pupils than in 2018, but numbers have fallen since 2025.
24% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Cheshunt's state schools each January.
7,8402018
8,1072019
8,3662021
8,3212022
8,2952023
8,3722024
8,3202025
8,2042026
Up 5% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.
Free school meals
Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.
Cheshunt24%
Dates to know
Apply through your local council, even for academies and faith schools.
31 OctSecondary deadlineFor children starting Year 7.
15 JanPrimary deadlineFor children starting Reception.
1 MarSecondary offersOffers day for Year 7 places.
16 AprPrimary offersOffers day for Reception places.
Keep up with schools in Cheshunt
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Cheshunt has 36 schools, including 13 primary schools, 4 secondary schools, 19 nurseries. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.
What are the best schools in Cheshunt?+
The highest-ranked schools in Cheshunt on Eduscope are Brookland Junior School, Flamstead End School, Goffs Academy. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.
What percentage of schools in Cheshunt are rated Good or Outstanding?+
85% of inspected schools in Cheshunt hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is below the England average of 94.8%. This includes 1 school rated Outstanding and 10 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Cheshunt perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Cheshunt, 60% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.
What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Cheshunt?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Cheshunt is 18.6:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.
What is the persistent absence rate in Cheshunt schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Cheshunt is 19.0%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.
How many pupils attend schools in Cheshunt?+
There are 8,204 pupils enrolled across schools in Cheshunt, with 4,010 in primary and 4,088 in secondary. 24.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How do I choose the right school in Cheshunt?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 36 schools in Cheshunt by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.
Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.