School Chooser

Chambersbury Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedFoundation184 pupils Free breakfast clubHemel HempsteadHertfordshire
School Chooser Score
11
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 5 to 23, so it could be “below”
Out of 100. Better than 14% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, November 2022
Reached the expected level at 1141%England 63%
Attendance91.5%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families23%A bit fewer than most schools
Places26 spare184 pupils, 210 places
Pupils per teacher19.2School workforce census

Chambersbury Primary School is a foundation school in Hemel Hempstead for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 184 pupils and room for 210. About 23 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit fewer than at most schools. We give it 11 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 14% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2022.

Hill Common, Bennetts End, Hemel Hempstead, HP3 8JH01442 256435chambersbury.herts.sch.ukMr Christopher Payne headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 8 November 2022, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

29 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1141%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score102.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score100.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 46%46%20172018: 58%58%20182019: 40%40%20192023: 53%53%20232024: 40%40%20242025: 41%41%2025
Since 2017: -5%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017HertfordshireEngland
Pupils tested293030302428
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths41%40%53%40%58%46%64%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%3%10%0%8%0%10%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score102.0105.0104.0102.0105.0100.0106.6105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score100.0102.0104.0103.0102.0104.0105.2104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score101.0103.0103.0102.0104.0106.0106.1105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard52%67%60%50%71%54%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard45%57%80%77%58%71%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)55%63%67%60%71%68%
Reading progressReading progress score+0.6-0.5+0.0+2.2
Maths progressMaths progress score+2.1-0.1-1.9+5.1
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged0%17%43%27%44%29%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged60%46%63%47%67%52%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 1 of the 4 gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
0%60%
Gap 60 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
31%50%
Gap 19 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
67%41%
Gap 26 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%0%
No gapEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

A few spare places194 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
92% full

About 16 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place (27 offers for 30 places).

EntryPlacesApplied at allGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary308227all offeredLA
2025 Primary307217all offeredLA
2024 Primary3092302.5 milesLA

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll184Census January 2026
Places21088% full
Pupils from low-income families23%23% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English29%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support24%44 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%5 pupils with a plan
Average class size26.37 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)24%£66,650 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls88 / 96
White British pupils60%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 22.7 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 29.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (19), emotional and mental health (13), Autistic spectrum disorder (7), Specific learning difficulty (6), Moderate learning difficulty (2), Hearing impairment (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll184194203203203210
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals23%22%22%26%26%21%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language29%27%26%21%21%18%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support20%23%27%22%21%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans4%3%3%2%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 91.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance91.5%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school24.7%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils5.22024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission2.0%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence8.5%7.9%8.8%8.0%3.5%4.1%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence6.5%6.3%6.2%5.7%2.8%3.0%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.0%1.6%2.5%2.3%0.7%1.1%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence24.7%25.0%23.7%25.6%6.9%10.4%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate5.22.50.00.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers9.6full-time equivalent, 11 people
Pupils per teacher19.2Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers91%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants8.5full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£49,202
Teachers who left in the year31%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher1.32024/25

Money

From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£7,388England £7,738. Total £1.4m
Income per pupil£7,130England £7,697. Total £1.4m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,038England £3,480
Money in reserve39%A lot put by: £528k, £2,752 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£50kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£7,388spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m19112 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate68 per 1,000 people25% lower than the England average
Typical house price£450,000Dacorum
Nearest bus stop210 mHorselers, 11 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Hobbs Hill Wood Primary SchoolCouncil550 m450Good 202362Compare
Belswains Primary SchoolCouncil660 m431Good 202352Compare
The Reddings Primary SchoolCouncil820 m208Not inspected30Compare
Saint Albert the Great Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyAcademy920 m204No overall grade 202525Compare
Nash Mills Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England990 m235Good 202267Compare
Lime Walk Primary SchoolCouncil0.6 miles212Good 20239Compare
Tudor Primary SchoolCouncil1.0 miles439Good 202276Compare
Leverstock Green Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England1.0 miles229Good 202465Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Chambersbury Primary School with the 44 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 44 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats14%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 11 is 24 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 3 · middle 35 · highest 99100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 44 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Chambersbury Primary School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Alban Wood Primary School and NurseryAcademy3.5 miles238Good 202367Compare
Coates Way JMI and Nursery SchoolCouncil4.2 miles223No overall grade 202435Compare
Greenfields Primary SchoolCouncil8.6 miles212Report card 202665Compare
Monksmead SchoolCouncil9.7 miles208Good 202222Compare
All Saints' CofE Nursery and Primary School N20Church of England14.1 miles214Good 202473Compare
Loudwater Combined SchoolFoundation14.4 miles200Good 202467Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 11 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 11% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 5 to 23. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%below
-0.16
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 29 pupils
Ofsted inspection18% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 3.8 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
+0.05
DfE progress measure; 29 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well below
-0.21
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.18
2024/25; 174 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well below
-0.16
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 29 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Chambersbury Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Chambersbury Primary School scores 11 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 14% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 5 to 23, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Chambersbury Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Chambersbury Primary School good at its last full inspection on 8 November 2022.

How good are Chambersbury Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 41% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Chambersbury Primary School have?

184 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 88% full.

Is Chambersbury Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 16 places were empty in 2024/25 (8% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Chambersbury Primary School?

Pupils were in school 91.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 25% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Chambersbury Primary School?

The average class had 26.3 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

Does Chambersbury Primary School have a breakfast club?

Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Hill Common, Bennetts End, Hemel Hempstead, HP3 8JH
Telephone
01442 256435
Website
www.chambersbury.herts.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mr Christopher Payne
Free breakfast club
Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
Type of school
Foundation school (Foundation school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Local authority
Hertfordshire
Ward
Leverstock Green
Constituency
Hemel Hempstead
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
117214 · LAESTAB 9192210 · UKPRN 10077452

Where these figures come from