Schools by area › Hertfordshire › Layston Church of England First School
Layston Church of England First School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 5–9 · Voluntary controlled
The Causeway, Buntingford SG9 9EU · layston.herts.sch.uk · 01763 271235
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Jun 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Reception, September 2026 entry · Hertfordshire Council
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 124
- 83% of 150 places
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire
- Free school meals
- 21.8%
- First language not English
- 3.2%
- 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, 8 families put the school first and 9 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 | 9 | 8 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 18 | 18 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 29 | 27 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 30 | 28 | 0.9 | 96% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 30 | 31 | 1▲ | 94% |
Last distance offered
| Reception | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | All | |
| September 2025 | All | |
| September 2024 | All | |
| September 2022 | 0.68 mi1.09 km | |
Every applicant was offered a place (10 allocations for 30 places).
Every applicant was offered a place (19 allocations for 30 places).
Every applicant was offered a place (29 allocations for 30 places).
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Layston Church of England First School on 23 June 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention
- Achievement: Needs attention
- Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard
- Personal development and well-being: Expected standard
- Early years: Needs attention
- Leadership and governance: Expected standard
- Inspected
- 23 Jun 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Needs attention |
| Achievement | Needs attention |
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Expected standard |
| Early years | Needs attention |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Oct 2023
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Oct 2023Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Inadequate Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Jun 2009Outstanding
Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years Outstanding May 2006Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good
What parents said
84% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (51 replies, to 2 September 2024).
- Recommend
- 84%
- Replies
- 51
- 2 Sept 2024
based on the 76% who raised concerns
based on the 37% who had a child bullied