Two Waters Primary School Review 2026: High-achieving primary with a strong reading culture in Apsley

At drop-off, this is a school that feels organised and purposeful. The systems are clear, expectations are understood, and pupils are used to earning recognition through house points and leadership roles. Academic outcomes are a headline strength, with Key Stage 2 results well above England averages across reading, writing and mathematics.

Leadership is settled and visible. Headteacher Tim Gately took up post in December 2015, giving the school a decade of continuity at the top as it has refined its curriculum and early reading approach.

Two Waters is popular locally and typically oversubscribed for Reception. For families weighing it up against nearby options, it helps to look at both the results and the practicalities, especially wraparound care demand and the reality of a tight admissions picture.

Two Waters presents itself as inclusive, and the tone is consistent with that positioning. Pupils are used to talking about difference, belonging, and respectful behaviour in a practical way, rather than as slogans. The current house structure reinforces this day-to-day, linking positive behaviour and effort to house points and celebrating pupil leadership through house captains and a school council model that runs from class discussion up to whole-school representation.

The wider culture leans towards reading and participation. There is a deliberate emphasis on reading enjoyment, backed by daily routines in the classroom and reinforced through shared experiences that make literacy feel social rather than solitary. Alongside this, personal development is treated as a serious strand of school life, with structured opportunities that build confidence and teamwork through enrichment and challenge activities.

Early years is part of the same story, rather than an add-on. Nursery has its own rhythm and routines, including story time at the start of the day and regular opportunities for children to handle books, use the library, and build early independence. While the school offers multiple Nursery pick-up options, families should expect demand for places and should keep a close eye on application timelines.

This is a high-performing primary on the available Key Stage 2 measures. In 2024, 88.67% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 37.67% achieved greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%. Reading and mathematics scaled scores are both 109, and grammar, punctuation and spelling is also 109, indicating consistently strong attainment across the tested areas.

In FindMySchool’s rankings (based on official attainment data), Two Waters is ranked 964th in England for primary performance and 2nd in the Hemel Hempstead local area. This places it well above the England average overall, within the top 10% of primary schools in England.

A key nuance is the balance of strengths across subjects. Reading is a clear pillar, with strong scaled scores and a curriculum design that prioritises early phonics, daily reading practice, and exposure to high-quality texts. Mathematics also stands out, supported by a mastery-led approach and additional number fluency programmes that run through Key Stage 1 and into Key Stage 2.

Parents comparing schools locally may find it useful to use the FindMySchool Local Hub comparison tool to view these outcomes side-by-side against other nearby primaries, especially when travel patterns and admissions pressure differ by neighbourhood.

Two Waters makes its curriculum choices explicit, which is helpful for parents trying to understand what “good teaching” looks like in practice. In mathematics, the school describes a carefully sequenced curriculum supported by Power Maths and supplemented by White Rose Maths, with a mastery approach that uses concrete, pictorial and abstract representations to secure understanding before pupils move on. It also embeds NCETM Mastering Number in Early Years and Key Stage 1, and has implemented a Key Stage 2 number fluency programme for Years 4 and 5.

Literacy is structured daily, with planning based on Herts for Learning Essential Writing units and a deliberate focus on spelling, grammar and oracy. Key Stage 2 adds a discrete “Write Right” starter routine for grammar fluency and sentence structure, while spelling is taught through Essential Letters and Sounds in Year 2 and Spelling Shed in Key Stage 2, alongside weekly assessment and application in writing.

Early reading is particularly clearly defined. Phonics uses Essential Letters and Sounds in Early Years and Year 1, with regular assessment and reading books matched closely to pupils’ phonics stage. Home reading is framed as both practice and enjoyment, pairing decodable books with additional reading for pleasure, and the school runs daily whole-class reading practice alongside guided group work for fluency and comprehension.

Computing, including online safety, is also treated as a cumulative curriculum rather than a one-off assembly topic. The school uses Purple Mash as a core scheme and revisits online safety themes over time, with explicit teaching around privacy, respectful behaviour, and seeking help when needed.

For a state primary, the most important “destination” is a confident, well-managed transition into Year 7. Two Waters supports families by signposting the Hertfordshire secondary transfer process, with published timings for the application window, open evening season, deadline, and national offer day.

For September 2026 secondary entry, the online admissions system opens on 01 September 2025, open evenings typically run in September and October, applications close on 31 October 2025, and offers are released on 02 March 2026.

Practically, this means Year 6 families can plan the autumn term around visits and decision-making rather than leaving it to the final weeks. Where children are moving to different types of secondary schools (local comprehensive, faith-based, or selective options), families should expect different evidence requirements and deadlines, so early planning is sensible.

Two Waters is oversubscribed for Reception in the available demand data. The most recent demand figures provided for the entry route indicate 113 applications for 30 offers, which is approximately 3.77 applications per place. First preference demand is also strong, with a first preference ratio of 1.23 against first preference offers. This is the profile of a school where proximity and timing matter.

For September 2026 Reception entry, the school publishes clear key dates. Applications open on 03 November 2025, close on 15 January 2026, allocation day is 16 April 2026, and the deadline to accept a place is 23 April 2026.

Nursery admissions are handled separately, with their own deadline and allocation timeline. For September 2026 Nursery entry, the published deadline is 20 March 2026 (at 9am), allocation day is 14 April 2026, and the deadline to accept or decline an offered place is 24 April 2026.

Families trying to judge the practicality of admission should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their exact position relative to the school and to sanity-check travel routines. Even when a school is not publishing a last distance offered figure here, the pattern of demand alone suggests that small geographic differences can change the outcome.

Pastoral support is built into the daily routines, and the school explicitly links emotional regulation to curriculum and classroom practice rather than treating wellbeing as a separate programme. A concrete example is the use of Zones of Regulation alongside growth mindset and mindfulness, with staff expectations changing by age: younger children receive more adult-led coaching on naming feelings and selecting strategies, while older pupils are expected to manage more independently over time.

Personal development is a visible strength. The house system, pupil leadership roles, and structured opportunities to contribute all reinforce social responsibility and confidence, including charity activity and democratic participation through class and school council.

The latest Ofsted inspection on 24 September 2024 graded personal development as Outstanding, with quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, leadership and management, and early years provision all graded Good.

The report also confirmed that safeguarding arrangements were effective.

Extracurricular life is organised termly and includes a mix of school-led and external-provider clubs. The current published programme includes activities such as Modern Dance Club, Multi Skills Sports Club, Choir Club, and structured chess provision, as well as specialist options like Irish dancing and basketball sessions at different levels.

A useful detail is that clubs run both before school and after school, which can work well for families already using wraparound care, but can also create competition for limited spaces. The school’s own wraparound provision is described as extremely popular, so families relying on early starts or later pick-ups should plan early and treat booking as part of the admissions “checklist”, not an afterthought.

Clubs also connect to broader school life. Performing arts options culminate in showcases, and the wider calendar suggests a steady rhythm of trips, class assemblies and whole-school events across the year, which helps children see school as more than lessons.

This is a state school with no tuition fees.

The school day timings vary by phase. Nursery starts at 8.30am, with multiple finish options; Reception to Year 2 start at 8.40am and finish at 3.15pm; Years 3 to 6 start at 8.45am and finish at 3.20pm.

Wraparound care is offered through breakfast and after-school clubs. Breakfast club runs from 7.45am; after-school club runs from 3.15pm or 3.20pm to either 5pm or 6pm, with published daily charges by session length.

For travel, families in Apsley commonly use local rail and bus links. Apsley station is the nearest rail option in the immediate area for many commutes into London and the wider region.

• Early years writing focus. The school has identified the need to strengthen early transcription and handwriting foundations, particularly from Nursery and Reception upwards, so that children do not move into more complex writing without secure letter formation and spacing habits.

• Oversubscription reality. Demand for Reception places is high relative to the published admission number, and this can make outcomes feel uncertain even for families nearby. Start the process early and keep timelines visible on the family calendar.

• Wraparound availability. Breakfast and after-school clubs are described as extremely popular with places allocated first come, first served, so families who rely on childcare at the margins of the day should treat booking as essential planning.

Two Waters Primary School suits families who want a high-attaining primary with a clear reading culture, structured teaching approaches, and a strong personal development offer anchored in pupil leadership and practical wellbeing routines. The best fit is for parents who value academic outcomes but also want children to build confidence through clubs, responsibilities and enrichment.

Competition for places is the limiting factor. Families who secure a place are likely to find a school that is organised, ambitious and explicit about how it teaches, while still maintaining a strong emphasis on inclusion and pupil voice.