Schools by area › Hertfordshire › Cowley Hill School
Cowley Hill School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–11 · Community school
Winstre Road, Borehamwood WD6 5DP · cowleyhill.herts.sch.uk · 020 8953 2218
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Jan 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 75%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Hertfordshire 64%, England 62%
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Reception, September 2026 entry · Hertfordshire Council
- Demand for places
- 0.6
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 416
- 89% of 465 places
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 30.4%
- First language not English
- 48.1%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, everyone who applied was offered a place. Source: Hertfordshire Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 33 families put the school first and 53 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 53 | 33 | 0.6 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 50 | 41 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 60 | 61 | 1▲ | 87% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 56 | 46 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 60 | 65 | 1.1▲ | 86% |
Last distance offered
| Reception | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | All | |
| September 2025 | All | |
| September 2024 | 0.55 mi0.88 km | |
| September 2022 | 0.67 mi1.08 km | |
Every applicant was offered a place (56 allocations for 60 places).
Every applicant was offered a place (53 allocations for 60 places).
Results
In 2024/25, 75% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 12% the higher standard. Across Hertfordshire it was 64%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲75% | 62% | ||
| ▲12% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●106 | 106 | ||
| ●106 | 105 | ||
| ●106 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Cowley Hill School on 13 January 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard
- Achievement: Expected standard
- Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard
- Personal development and well-being: Expected standard
- Early years: Expected standard
- Leadership and governance: Expected standard
- Inspected
- 13 Jan 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard |
| Achievement | Expected standard |
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Expected standard |
| Early years | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |
Previously: Remains Good, ungraded inspection, Oct 2021
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Oct 2021Ungraded inspectionRemains Good
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Dec 2011Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Jun 2009Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Requires improvement
What parents said
76% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (62 replies, to 6 April 2026).
- Recommend
- 76%
- Positive
- 68%
- Replies
- 62
- 15% · 6 Apr 2026
based on the 92% who raised concerns
based on 15 parents (24%) whose child was bullied
based on 13 parents (21%) with SEND