Schools by area › Hertfordshire › The Grove Infant and Nursery School
The Grove Infant and Nursery School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–7 · Community school
Dark Lane, Harpenden AL5 1QD · groveinfants.co.uk · 01582 761849
Overview
- Ofsted
- Outstanding
- 2019 framework · inspected Nov 2023
- Last distance offered
- 8.52 mi
- 13.71 km · Reception, September 2026 entry · Not Nearest School · Hertfordshire Council
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 243
- 90% of 270 places
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 2.6%
- First language not English
- 8.2%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, the last place offered under “Not Nearest School” went to a home 8.52 mi (13.71 km) from the school. Source: Hertfordshire Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 51 families put the school first and 59 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 | 59 | 51 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 60 | 69 | 1.2▲ | 86% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 75 | 61 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 63 | 62 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 78 | 71 | 0.9 | 100% |
Last distance offered
| Reception | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 8.52 mi13.71 km | |
| September 2025 | 0.43 mi0.70 km | |
| September 2024 | All | |
| September 2022 | All | |
Every applicant was offered a place (75 allocations for 90 places).
Every applicant was offered a place (78 allocations for 90 places).
Ofsted
The Grove Infant and Nursery School was judged Outstanding at its last graded inspection, on 7 November 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Outstanding
- Inspected
- 7 Nov 2023
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Outstanding |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding |
| Personal development | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
| Early years | Outstanding |
Previously: Outstanding, graded inspection, Oct 2007
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Oct 2007Outstanding
Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years Good
What parents said
99% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (202 replies, to 2 September 2024).
- Recommend
- 99%
- Replies
- 202
- 1% · 2 Sept 2024
based on the 60% who raised concerns
based on the 20% who had a child bullied
based on 16 parents (8%) with SEND