All Saints Church of England Primary School and Nursery, Bishop's Stortford

This is a Church of England primary with nursery provision, serving children aged 3 to 11 in Bishop’s Stortford. It is a relatively small school by town standards, with a published capacity of 212 and recent roll figures in the low 200s.

The ethos is explicitly values-led, with a clear through-line from collective worship and relationships, through to behaviour, pupil voice, and how pupils talk about fairness and belonging. The school’s own language centres on nurture, resilience and achievement, and that framing appears consistently across its published materials.

In the current KS2 dataset, 60% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, and 10% reached the higher standard. Subject results are 80% in reading, 70% in writing, 80% in maths, 80% in grammar, punctuation and spelling, and 80% in science; average scaled scores are Reading 106, Maths 105, GPS 107.

The strongest, most distinctive feature here is coherence. The school sets out a simple set of values and uses them repeatedly, across pupil leadership, everyday routines, and the language of inclusion and respect. In the most recent SIAMS inspection (01 April 2022), the report describes a culture of nurture where pupils feel heard, and it links this to practical mechanisms such as pupil voice structures, peer support, and a calm approach to managing behaviour.

That matters for families because it reduces guesswork. Children understand what “good behaviour” looks like in concrete terms, and parents can expect consistency between what is said in assemblies and what happens in classrooms and at playtimes. The SIAMS report also references tools and structures aimed at emotional literacy, including “zones of regulation”, alongside a clear focus on wellbeing, mindfulness and yoga activities, and access to a counsellor.

Leadership is stable and clearly identified. Mr Philip Asher is the headteacher, and he is also named as Designated Safeguarding Lead on the school’s published staff listing. The SIAMS report states the current headteacher was appointed in 2019, which gives useful context for families comparing inspection narratives over time.

Faith is present, but the tone is inclusive. Collective worship is described as invitational, with careful planning over a two-year cycle and an emphasis on reflection and values rather than pressure to conform. For families who want a Church of England school where worship is central but handled with care, this is a helpful signpost.

All performance figures below are drawn which should be treated as the reference point for rankings and results.

In the current KS2 dataset, 60% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, and 10% reached the higher standard. Subject results are 80% in reading, 70% in writing, 80% in maths, 80% in grammar, punctuation and spelling, and 80% in science; average scaled scores are Reading 106, Maths 105, GPS 107.

In the current KS2 dataset, 60% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, and 10% reached the higher standard. Subject results are 80% in reading, 70% in writing, 80% in maths, 80% in grammar, punctuation and spelling, and 80% in science; average scaled scores are Reading 106, Maths 105, GPS 107.

Rankings add another lens. In the current FindMySchool dataset, All Saints Church of England Primary School and Nursery, Bishop's Stortford is ranked 7,989th in England and 16th in Bishop's Stortford for primary outcomes. That is a useful comparison point, but parents should read it alongside cohort size, admissions fit and the school’s wider curriculum.

The practical implication is straightforward: this is a school where many children meet age-related expectations, higher attainers can do well, and the strongest reasons to choose it are likely to be ethos, routines, and the day-to-day experience rather than chasing a “top of the table” academic profile.

The most useful teaching detail comes from the curriculum and inspection commentary. The March 2023 Ofsted inspection notes that leaders have planned the curriculum with high expectations and have set out what pupils should know and when, with teachers using checks to identify gaps and address them. It also identifies an improvement point: in a few subjects, checking for what pupils have remembered is not consistently strong, leading to gaps for some pupils.

That balance is important. You are looking at a school with clear intent and structure, with an identified development area around assessment practice in a minority of subjects. For parents, the right question to ask on a visit is not “is the curriculum ambitious”, it is “how does the school check that key knowledge is remembered, and what happens next when a child forgets it”.

Religious education has a strong profile as you would expect in a voluntary aided Church of England setting. The SIAMS report describes RE as well planned and taught, with pupils engaging thoughtfully with Christianity and a range of worldviews. It also references practical learning experiences, including forest school style activities linked to festivals and meaning-making.

For a primary school, parents usually want to know the likely secondary pathways. The parent handbook states that the school feeds into the Bishop’s Stortford secondary schools and highlights close working with local schools and partnerships.

Two separate entry points matter most: Nursery and Reception.

Nursery entry for the next intake

Nursery admissions are set directly by the school. Families should check the current nursery admissions page for application windows, offer dates and acceptance deadlines.

Because the nursery is part of a wider early years picture on the site, families should also note the wraparound and childcare partners that operate alongside the school day, particularly if you need care beyond the core nursery session times.

Reception entry for September 2027

Reception applications are managed through Hertfordshire County Council to the county timetable. The published Hertfordshire timeline for September 2027 entry includes: online applications opening on 2 November 2026, on-time deadline 15 January 2027, and national allocation day on 16 April 2027.

As a Church of England voluntary aided school, families should expect admissions rules that may include faith-related oversubscription criteria, and it is sensible to read the school’s determined arrangements for the relevant year before applying. Hertfordshire’s directory confirms that admission rules for September 2027 are available via the local authority’s official directory.

Demand and competitiveness

The figures indicate the school is oversubscribed for the primary entry route, with 70 applications and 21 offers shown in the most recent available admissions snapshot, which equates to around 3.33 applications per place. This strongly suggests that families should treat admission as competitive, and apply with realistic alternatives.

No “furthest distance at which a place was offered” figure is provided for this school, so distance-based predictions should be made cautiously, especially in a town where demand can vary meaningfully year to year.

Pastoral systems appear purposeful rather than decorative. Safeguarding is described as effective in the March 2023 Ofsted inspection, and the report references staff training, record-keeping, working with agencies, and pupils learning how to stay safe online.

The SIAMS report adds further texture around wellbeing: pupils using emotional regulation language, adults prioritising mental health, access to a counsellor for pupils and adults, and peer mediation approaches that pupils themselves value.

For parents, this generally translates into two practical benefits. First, children who need calm, predictable routines tend to do well in schools where behaviour is handled consistently and fairly. Second, the school is already using the language and tools that help children articulate feelings rather than simply “being told off”, which often reduces repeated low-level issues over time.

The extracurricular picture is helpfully specific, and it is not limited to generic “after school clubs”.

In the current KS2 dataset, 60% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, and 10% reached the higher standard. Subject results are 80% in reading, 70% in writing, 80% in maths, 80% in grammar, punctuation and spelling, and 80% in science; average scaled scores are Reading 106, Maths 105, GPS 107.

Music provision is also clearly laid out. The school states that instrumental lessons are offered through Hertfordshire Music Service for instruments including piano, violin, recorders, flute, clarinet and brass, with additional options such as drums and guitar or ukulele through other providers. The implication is that music can be a meaningful thread for children who want it, but parents should expect the usual practicalities of paid lessons and, for some instruments, waiting lists.

There are also strong signals of pupil-led initiatives and civic-minded projects. The SIAMS report references pupil parliament, a Lego club, a reading club, and an environmental campaign linked to reducing plastic straws, plus tree-planting in a local park. Those details are a useful indicator of how the school develops responsibility and voice, not just “enrichment”.

The published school day structure in the parent handbook is clear. Registration is at 8.50am, and the day ends at 3.15pm for Reception and older pupils. Drop-off routines differ slightly by age, with gates opening at 8.40am and children expected to be in by registration.

Wraparound is available in two ways. The school runs its own Great Start Breakfast Club from 7.50am to 8.40am during term time. For after-school childcare, the school website describes on-site provision extending to 6.30pm during term time via Night Owls, with separate nursery-related arrangements also described on the same page.

For travel, the school is in Bishop’s Stortford, so many families will be walking or using local roads at peak times. As with most town primaries, it is worth asking directly about drop-off traffic management and any preferred walking routes, especially if you are considering daily car use.

• Competition for places. The latest available admissions snapshot shows 70 applications for 21 offers, which is a high-demand ratio. Families should apply with realistic backup preferences and avoid assuming entry is straightforward.

• Assessment consistency across subjects. The March 2023 inspection highlights that, in a few subjects, checking what pupils have remembered is not consistently strong, which can allow gaps to develop. Parents of children who need extra reinforcement may want to ask how this is being tightened.

• Church school character. Worship, Christian values and RE are integral to school life. The approach is described as invitational, but it is still a faith-shaped environment, so families should be comfortable with regular collective worship and church links.

• Wraparound runs through multiple providers. Breakfast club is school-led, and after-school childcare is delivered through a partner. This can work well, but it is important to understand booking, availability, and how handover works across the day.

All Saints Church of England Primary School and Nursery offers a values-driven education with clear routines, visible pupil voice, and wraparound options that can make day-to-day logistics easier. Academically, the most recent published outcomes are broadly in line with England on the combined expected standard, with some encouraging signals for higher attainers.

Best suited to families who want a Church of England primary where pastoral structures and belonging are treated as foundational, and who are prepared for a competitive admissions picture.