Open the map

Schools by area › Essex › Saffron Walden County High School

Saffron Walden County High School

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy

Audley End Road, Saffron Walden CB11 4UH · swchs.net · 01799 513030

On the mapSearch near CB11 4UH

Overview

Ofsted
Outstanding
2019 framework · inspected Mar 2024
GCSEs, 2024/25
59.7
average Attainment 8 score. Essex 45.1, England 46
Demand for places
1.2
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
2,157
107 over 2,050 places · 105%
Local authority
Essex
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
10.3%
First language not English
6.1%
School census 2025/26
Trust
Saffron Academy Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 344 families put the school first and 290 places were offered; 84% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 319 (Places 294)319September 2023: 361 (Places 296)361September 2024: 380 (Places 284)380September 2025: 367 (Places 298)367September 2026: 344 (Places 290)344Places 290
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20262903441.2▲84%
September 2025Sept 20252983671.2▲81%
September 2024Sept 20242843801.3▲75%
September 2023Sept 20232963611.2▲81%
September 2022Sept 20222943191.1▲92%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 59.7, and 66.3% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Essex it was 45.1, and across England 46.

In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade B (40 points per entry).

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 55.2 (England 46.3)55.22017/18: 58.4 (England 46.5)58.42018/19: 58.9 (England 46.7)58.92021/22: 58.1 (England 48.8)58.12022/23: 55.1 (England 46.3)55.12023/24: 56.7 (England 45.9)56.72024/25: 59.7 (England 46.0)59.7England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▲59.746.0
▲66.3%45.4%
▲84.5%64.8%
▲55.1%40.5%
▲5.574.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form72.4+0.3
Sixth form college5.1+3
Further education14.7+3.6
Apprenticeship2−1.8
Employment0.7−2.4
Not in a lasting destination3.1−1.4
Activity not captured2+0.6

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252015/16: 36.3 (England 30.5)B-2016/17: 39.0 (England 31.1)B2017/18: 37.4 (England 32.1)B-2018/19: 38.2 (England 32.9)B-2021/22: 43.6 (England 37.9)B+2022/23: 38.4 (England 34.2)B2023/24: 39.2 (England 34.4)B2024/25: 40.0 (England 35.0)BEngland 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
279 studentsB (40)Above average +0.19
281 studentsB (39.7)Above average +0.18
96 studentsDist- (30.8)Average +0.11
20.2%AAB or better
97.4%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/24275B (39.2)+0.17
2022/23291B (38.4)—
2021/22291B+ (43.6)—
2018/19321B- (38.2)+0.30
2017/18299B- (37.4)+0.13
2016/17306B (39)+0.24
2015/16268B- (36.3)+0.29

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University60.5−3.5
Further and other education1.3+0.7
Further education0.7+0.4
Other education0.7+0.4
Apprenticeship3−2.4
Employment21.4−0.6
Not in a lasting destination9.5+5.6
Activity not captured4.3+0.1

Ofsted

Saffron Walden County High School was judged Outstanding at its last graded inspection, on 26 March 2024, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.

Overall
Outstanding
Inspected
26 Mar 2024
Graded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Graded areas

Quality of educationOutstanding
Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
Personal developmentOutstanding
Leadership and managementOutstanding
Sixth formOutstanding

Previously: Outstanding, graded inspection, May 2012

Earlier inspections

Before September 2019

  • May 2012Outstanding
    Outcomes for pupilsOutstanding
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentOutstanding
    Leadership and managementOutstanding
  • Feb 2007Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    16 to 19 study programmesOutstanding

What parents said

94% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (420 replies, to 6 January 2025).

Recommend
94%
Replies
420
20% · 6 Jan 2025
Child is happy at school▲94% agreeEngland 88%
Child feels safe▲95% agreeEngland 89%
Pupils are well behaved▲95% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations▲96% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well▲95% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn▲87% agreeEngland 83%
Told how child is doing▲94% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects▲99% agreeEngland 90%
Can join clubs and activities▲95% agreeEngland 90%
Supports personal development▲89% agreeEngland 79%
Concerns are dealt with properly▲88% agreeEngland 77%

based on the 66% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▲55% agreeEngland 49%

based on the 29% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▲80% agreeEngland 67%

based on 67 parents (16%) with SEND

Also near this school

All schools in Essex