School Chooser

Micklem Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedCouncil223 pupilsNurseryHemel HempsteadHertfordshire
School Chooser Score
15
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 7 to 30, so it could be “below”
Out of 100. Better than 24% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodConfirmed by Ofsted, November 2023
Reached the expected level at 1152%England 63%
Attendance93.4%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families37%Far more than most schools
Places17 spare223 pupils, 240 places
Pupils per teacher17.0School workforce census

Micklem Primary School is a council school in Hemel Hempstead for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 223 pupils and room for 240. About 37 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 15 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 24% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Boxted Road, Hemel Hempstead, HP1 2QH01442 408964micklem.herts.sch.ukMr Joshua Swift headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

A shorter visit on 15 November 2023 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1152%
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 score107.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score106.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 30%30%20172018: 85%85%20182019: 86%86%20192023: 31%31%20232024: 40%40%20242025: 52%52%2025
Since 2017: +22%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017HertfordshireEngland
Pupils tested313029282023
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths52%40%31%86%85%30%64%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%7%14%10%0%10%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score107.0103.0105.0105.0108.098.0106.6105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score106.0100.0103.0108.0107.099.0105.2104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score106.0100.0104.0106.0108.099.0106.1105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard77%67%72%89%95%43%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard71%57%55%93%90%48%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)52%43%31%96%100%74%
Reading progressReading progress score-2.7+0.1+2.2-4.1
Maths progressMaths progress score-2.9+2.1+2.0-4.1
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged43%20%0%67%85%7%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged59%50%47%95%86%75%

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. 3 of the 4 gaps are 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
43%59%
Gap 16 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
40%63%
Gap 23 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
50%52%
Gap 2 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.

Full210 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
100% full

The school is full. More families apply than can get in, so things like how close you live and whether an older brother or sister is already here decide who gets a place. Pupil numbers have grown by 4% since 2021/22, so places are getting harder to come by.

Will my child get a place?

The last child to get a place lived 1.6 miles away in 2026, 2.1 miles away in 2025, 680 m away in 2024. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils, faith and other priority groups are placed first. After that, the closer you live, the better your chances. Type in your postcode to see how far away you are.

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. More children applied than there were places. The last place went to a child living 1.6 miles from the school. Living closer than that didn't guarantee a place, but living much further away meant missing out that year.

EntryPlacesApplied at allGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary3053301.6 milesLA
2025 Primary3063302.1 milesLA
2024 Primary308230680 mLA

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 1.6 miles of the school costs

Typical sale price within 1.6 miles of the school£410,000half sold for £325k to £525k
Homes sold1,094December 2023 to December 2025, Land Registry
Compared with the district-9%a typical home in the district sells for £450,000

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.

Pupils on roll223Census January 2026
Places24093% full
Pupils from low-income families38%37% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English22%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support18%39 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan6%14 pupils with a plan
Average class size27.67 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils14%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)37%£117,800 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls108 / 115
White British pupils66%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 29.3 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 29.7 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (17), Moderate learning difficulty (14), Autistic spectrum disorder (7), language and communications needs (7), Hearing impairment (3), Specific learning difficulty (3).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll223219208219222221
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals38%34%37%38%37%34%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language22%25%26%21%18%20%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support16%17%22%20%17%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans6%4%3%2%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.4% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance93.4%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school23.3%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils5.52024/25, 1 permanent exclusion
Missed without permission1.6%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence6.6%7.0%7.7%7.3%4.2%3.8%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence5.0%5.1%5.7%5.5%3.5%2.7%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.6%1.9%1.9%1.8%0.7%1.1%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence23.3%17.4%23.8%24.7%10.9%8.3%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate5.51.928.815.31.8
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions10201

Staff and money

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

Teachers12.8full-time equivalent, 13 people
Pupils per teacher17.0Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers85%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants15.6full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£47,280
Teachers who left in the year16%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher2.42024/25

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£7,596England £7,738. Total £1.6m
Income per pupil£7,758England £7,697. Total £1.7m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,279England £3,480
Money in reserve11%A healthy amount put by: £182k, £853 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out+£35kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£7,596spent 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 m39012 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate108 per 1,000 people19% higher than the England average
Typical house price£450,000Dacorum
Nearest bus stop50 mPeartree Road, 15 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
Galley Hill Primary School and NurseryCouncil750 m426No overall grade 202412Compare
St Cuthbert Mayne Voluntary Catholic Junior AcademyAcademy790 m247Not inspected78Compare
Gade Valley Primary SchoolCouncil830 m236Good 202251Compare
Oakleaf PrimaryAcademy830 m187Not inspected0Compare
Boxmoor Primary SchoolCouncil0.6 miles234Good 202476Compare
St Rose's Catholic Infant SchoolAcademy0.7 miles197Good 202364Compare
Pixies Hill Primary SchoolCouncil0.7 miles209Good 202373Compare
South Hill Primary SchoolCouncil0.8 miles417Good 202434Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Micklem Primary School with the 46 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 46 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats24%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 15 is 18 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 2 · middle 32 · highest 93100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 46 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Micklem 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
Beech Hyde Primary School and NurseryAcademy9.4 miles171Good 202235Compare
Denham Green E-ACT Primary AcademyAcademy12.0 miles226Good 202254Compare
Coteford Junior SchoolAcademy12.3 miles224Not inspected20Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 15 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 15% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 7 to 30. 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; 31 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 2.8 years old
Progress pupils make20%well below
-0.29
DfE progress measure; 31 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%above
+0.07
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.12
2024/25; 193 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.07
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 31 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 Micklem Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Micklem Primary School scores 15 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 24% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 7 to 30, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Micklem Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Micklem Primary School good at its last full inspection on 15 November 2023.

How good are Micklem Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 52% 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 Micklem Primary School have?

223 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 240 places, so it is 93% full.

Is Micklem Primary School oversubscribed, and how far away can you live?

Yes. For September 2026 the last place went to a child living 1.6 miles away. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils and other priority groups come before distance, so the cut-off moves every year.

What is attendance like at Micklem Primary School?

Pupils were in school 93.4% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 23% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Micklem Primary School?

The average class had 27.6 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 14% of classes 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
Boxted Road, Hemel Hempstead, HP1 2QH
Telephone
01442 408964
Website
www.micklem.herts.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mr Joshua Swift
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
Chaulden and Warners End
Constituency
Hemel Hempstead
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
117231 · LAESTAB 9192243 · UKPRN 10079566

Where these figures come from