Schools by area › Hertfordshire › Waterside Academy
Waterside Academy
Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–11 · Academy
Rowans, Welwyn Garden City AL7 1NZ · waterside.herts.sch.uk · 01707 321203
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Feb 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 64%
- 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
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 166
- 79% of 210 places
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 43.9%
- First language not English
- 22.9%
- 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, 19 families put the school first and 21 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 21 | 19 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 19 | 19 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 26 | 24 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 22 | 19 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 19 | 18 | 0.9 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 64% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 7% 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 | |||
| ●64% | 62% | ||
| ●7% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●106 | 106 | ||
| ▼101 | 105 | ||
| ●103 | 105 | ||
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 117257)
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Waterside Academy on 24 February 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: Strong standard
- Personal development and well-being: Expected standard
- Early years: Expected standard
- Leadership and governance: Expected standard
- Inspected
- 24 Feb 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard |
| Achievement | Expected standard |
| Attendance and behaviour | Strong standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Expected standard |
| Early years | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Jun 2022
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Jun 2022Good
Quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Nov 2016Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Good Safeguarding Effective Feb 2015Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Requires improvement
What parents said
79% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (29 replies, to 6 April 2026).
- Recommend
- 79%
- Positive
- 71%
- Replies
- 29
- 16% · 6 Apr 2026
based on the 76% who raised concerns
based on 9 parents (31%) whose child was bullied
based on 10 parents (34%) with SEND