How Wood Primary and Nursery School
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How Wood Primary and Nursery School is a council school in St Albans for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 215 pupils and room for 220. About 13 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 30 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 19% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.
Spooners Drive, Park Street, St Albans, AL2 2HU01727 768885howwood.herts.sch.ukMrs CYNTHIA ROWE NAOMI PARKINS headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 2 March 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Good overall.
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
26 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Hertfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 26 | 27 | 26 | 30 | 27 | 30 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 62% | 56% | 46% | 50% | 67% | 57% | 64% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 4% | 7% | 0% | 7% | 11% | 20% | 10% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 105.0 | 104.0 | 99.0 | 103.0 | 107.0 | 103.0 | 106.6 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 103.0 | 102.0 | 99.0 | 102.0 | 105.0 | 104.0 | 105.2 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 106.0 | 102.0 | 102.0 | 105.0 | 109.0 | 108.0 | 106.1 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 77% | 70% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 67% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 77% | 59% | 50% | 60% | 81% | 70% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 73% | 74% | 69% | 77% | 78% | 77% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | -5.2 | -4.2 | -1.3 | -2.1 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | -5.9 | -4.9 | -2.5 | -1.6 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | – | 44% | 36% | – | – | – | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | – | 61% | 58% | – | – | – | – | – |
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. Every gap at this school 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
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.
About 12 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.
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 (19 offers for 30 places).
| Entry | Places | Applied at all | Got a place | How far the last child lived | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Primary | 30 | 66 | 19 | – all offered | LA |
| 2025 Primary | 30 | 81 | 30 | 0.8 miles | LA |
| 2024 Primary | 30 | 84 | 30 | 2.2 miles | LA |
The distances are the council's own, usually measured in a straight line from home to the school gate. If the distance is getting shorter each year, the school is getting harder to get into. See which councils we have this data for.
What a home within 0.8 miles of the school costs
Every home sold within that distance of the school (the typical cut-off over the last three years), of any type, from HM Land Registry records. If homes here cost more than the district average, that is the price people pay to live close enough to get in.
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.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 28.7 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 28.5 (England 27.3).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (15), Autistic spectrum disorder (14), Other difficulty or disability (4), Moderate learning difficulty (1), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (1), Specific learning difficulty (1).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 215 | 223 | 224 | 220 | 226 | 209 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 13% | 14% | 12% | 10% | 11% | 27% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 10% | 9% | 9% | 12% | 14% | 19% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 10% | 11% | 9% | 9% | 10% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 5% | 5% | 2% | 3% | 1% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.1% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 5.9% | 6.9% | 6.8% | 6.2% | 3.5% | 3.1% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 4.8% | 6.0% | 5.7% | 5.8% | 3.3% | 2.8% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.4% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 14.6% | 18.0% | 17.0% | 11.2% | 7.0% | 2.9% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 5.8 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 0.0 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
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.
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
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.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park Street Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School | Church of England | 300 m | 153 | Report card 2026 | 39 | Compare |
| Killigrew Primary and Nursery School | Council | 0.9 miles | 412 | Good 2024 | 92 | Compare |
| Mandeville Primary School | Academy | 1.2 miles | 340 | Report card 2026 | 73 | Compare |
| St Adrian Roman Catholic Primary School | Roman Catholic | 1.2 miles | 194 | Good 2022 | 83 | Compare |
| Mount Pleasant Lane Primary School | Academy | 1.8 miles | 200 | Good 2022 | 33 | Compare |
| Prae Wood Primary School | Council | 1.9 miles | 446 | Not inspected | 93 | Compare |
| St Peter's School | Council | 1.9 miles | 392 | Good 2023 | 83 | Compare |
| The Abbey Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, St Albans | Church of England | 1.9 miles | 189 | Good 2019 | 97 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares How Wood Primary and Nursery School with the 48 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 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher
Of those 48 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than How Wood Primary and Nursery 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.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Divine Saviour Roman Catholic Primary School | Academy | 3.8 miles | 206 | Good 2023 | 46 | Compare |
| St Paul's Church of England Primary School, Langleybury | Church of England | 4.5 miles | 226 | Good 2023 | 75 | Compare |
| Gade Valley Primary School | Council | 6.4 miles | 236 | Good 2022 | 51 | Compare |
| Woodside Primary School | Academy | 10.9 miles | 229 | Not inspected | 78 | Compare |
| Chesham Bois Church of England School | Academy | 11.1 miles | 218 | Good 2022 | 92 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 30 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 30% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 14 to 56. 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 at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 25% | in line | -0.04 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 26 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 19% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old) | in line | +0.01 | Ofsted grade, 3.5 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | well below | -0.22 | DfE progress measure; 26 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | well above | +0.14 | results and attendance rising year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | in line | -0.03 | 2024/25; 178 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | well below | -0.12 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 26 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | 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 How Wood Primary and Nursery School a good school?
The figures are weak. How Wood Primary and Nursery School scores 30 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 19% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 14 to 56, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.
What is How Wood Primary and Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated How Wood Primary and Nursery School good at its last full inspection on 2 March 2023.
How good are How Wood Primary and Nursery School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 62% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 4% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does How Wood Primary and Nursery School have?
215 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 220 places, so it is 98% full.
Is How Wood Primary and Nursery School oversubscribed?
Probably not. 12 places were empty in 2024/25 (6% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at How Wood Primary and Nursery School?
Pupils were in school 94.1% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 15% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at How Wood Primary and Nursery School?
The average class had 26.9 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Spooners Drive, Park Street, St Albans, AL2 2HU
- Telephone
- 01727 768885
- Website
- www.howwood.herts.sch.uk
- Headteacher
- Mrs CYNTHIA ROWE NAOMI PARKINS
- Type of school
- Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
- Phase
- Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
- Gender
- Mixed
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire
- Ward
- Park Street
- Constituency
- St Albans
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- URN
- 117235 · LAESTAB 9192252 · UKPRN 10079565
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, consistent financial reporting 2024/25.
- Admissions outcomes: Hertfordshire council's published allocation statistics (source), entry years 2024, 2025, 2026.
- House prices: HM Land Registry price paid data, December 2023 to December 2025, placed by postcode.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.