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Schools in Saffron Walden

A town in Essex

  • Town
  • 15 schools and nurseries
  • 3,678 pupils

In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are above England, and results at 16 were above England in 2026. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.

Three children with backpacks crossing a street
A red-brick school building under a blue sky

Saffron Walden at a glance

Ahead of England on results at 11

How Saffron Walden's schools compare with England, area by area.

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries156 primary · 1 secondary · 8 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1180%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths65%Attainment 8 55.8, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary11%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school11%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Saffron Walden

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.

All Saffron Walden primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Saffron Walden

6 mainstream schools in Saffron Walden, best first

R A Butler Junior School

Saffron Walden, CB11 3DG · Academy · Primary · Ages 7 to 11

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Results well above the England average.

Met the standard at 1182%

England 62%

Days missed
3.0%
Pupils
384
Pupils per teacher
26.7
View school R A Butler Junior School

Katherine Semar Junior School

Saffron Walden, CB11 4DU · Academy · Primary · Ages 7 to 11

  • Ofsted:Outstanding in every area

Results well above the England average.

Met the standard at 1179%

England 62%

Days missed
3.1%
Pupils
256
Pupils per teacher
18.6
View school Katherine Semar Junior School
See all 6 primary schools

Top Secondary Schools in Saffron Walden

1 mainstream schools in Saffron Walden, best first

Saffron Walden County High School

Saffron Walden, CB11 4UH · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Results well above the England average.

344 first choices, 290 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1655.8

England 46.2

Days missed
7.2%
Pupils
2,157
Pupils per teacher
17.2
View school Saffron Walden County High School

Nurseries in Saffron Walden

8 in Saffron Walden, highest Ofsted grade first

See all 8 nurseries

Sixth Forms in Saffron Walden

1 in Saffron Walden, by the school's Eduscope score

Saffron Walden County High School

Saffron Walden, CB11 4UH · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Results well above the England average.

344 first choices, 290 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1655.8

England 46.2

Days missed
7.2%
Pupils
2,157
Pupils per teacher
17.2
View school Saffron Walden County High School
The map

Every school in Saffron Walden, on one map

Each dot is a school or nursery, coloured by its latest Ofsted grade. Point at a dot to see its name, or use the list.

See them as a list
Show
St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, GoodR A Butler Infant School, GoodR A Butler Junior School, OutstandingSaffron Walden County High School, OutstandingSt Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden, GoodKatherine Semar Junior School, Outstanding in every areaKatherine Semar Infant School, Outstanding in every areaStephen Perse Nurseries - Dame Bradbury's, GoodSt. Thomas More Montessori Pre School, GoodMeadows Montessori, OutstandingSaffron Walden Nursery School, GoodCrocus Early Years Centre, GoodBell Day Nursery Community Interest Company, OutstandingBell Day Pre-school, GoodOlivers Lodge - Saffron Walden, Needs attention in 4 areas
  • Outstanding4
  • Good8
  • Not graded yet3
Before you apply

Apply through the council where you live

Your home council handles your application, wherever the school is. Living nearby doesn't guarantee a place: each school's admission rules decide.

By age

What's on offer for each age

Pick a stage to see every Saffron Walden school for that age, with filters for type, faith and Ofsted grade.

More ways to narrow it down

Here's how Saffron Walden's schools break down by type, faith and more.

Postcodes

Browse Saffron Walden by postcode

Some areas, like parts of a bigger town, are easiest to find by postcode.

Saffron Walden vs England

How good are Saffron Walden's schools?

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 Saffron Walden

Saffron WaldenEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 4 primaries with one.

    100%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding

    1 of the 1 with a grade.

    100%

    England 93%

    Above England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    80%

    England 62%

    Above England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    65%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

    Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.

    11%

    England 18%

    Better than England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    11%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 5 schools that have one.

100%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding2
  • Good3
  • Requires improvement0
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

Saffron Walden in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap50%70%90%20182019202320242025
80% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap50%65%80%2018201920222023202420252026
65% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%15%30%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
11% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Saffron Walden has 15 schools and nurseries.

There are 4% more pupils than in 2018.

11% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Saffron Walden's state schools each January.

Up 4% 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.

Saffron Walden11%

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 Saffron Walden

Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.

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Questions

Questions parents ask about Saffron Walden

Nearby areas

How many schools are in Saffron Walden?

Saffron Walden has 15 schools, including 6 primary schools, 1 secondary school, 8 nurseries. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in Saffron Walden?

The highest-ranked schools in Saffron Walden on Eduscope are R A Butler Junior School, Katherine Semar Junior School, Saffron Walden County High School. 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 Saffron Walden are rated Good or Outstanding?

100% of inspected schools in Saffron Walden hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 2 schools rated Outstanding and 3 rated Good.

How do primary schools in Saffron Walden perform at Key Stage 2?

Across primary schools in Saffron Walden, 80% 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 Saffron Walden?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Saffron Walden is 19.1:1. 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 Saffron Walden schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Saffron Walden is 11.4%. 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 Saffron Walden?

There are 3,678 pupils enrolled across schools in Saffron Walden, with 1,521 in primary and 2,157 in secondary. 9.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How do I choose the right school in Saffron Walden?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 15 schools in Saffron Walden 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.

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