The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
Sheredes Primary School sits on a large, wooded site in Rye Park, with two buildings and the kind of space that lets primary life breathe: playing areas, a field, and outdoor features used as part of school routines. The current headteacher is Mrs Lorna Stevenson.
Academically, the school’s most recent published Key Stage 2 outcomes are exceptional, with 94.33% of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, far above the England average of 62%. The school is also highly ranked in the FindMySchool performance table for primary outcomes, which is based on official data, placing it among the stronger performers in England. (FindMySchool ranking information is provided in the Results section below.)
The school’s physical set-up strongly shapes daily experience. Sheredes operates across two buildings, described as the lower and the upper, each with its own hall that also doubles as a gymnasium, plus dedicated specialist spaces including a food technology room, music room, ICT suite, and a large library. This matters for parents because it suggests a school built to run a full primary curriculum with practical and creative subjects treated as normal, not occasional add-ons.
Outdoor space is an obvious feature of school identity. The prospectus describes mature woodland along the boundaries of the grounds and multiple outdoor areas, including playing spaces and a field with a large cedar tree that also appears as the school emblem. For children, that typically translates into more variety at breaktimes and more scope for outdoor learning, especially in the early years.
Ethos is framed in traditional primary language: calm expectations, an emphasis on kindness and consideration, and high standards across conduct and work presentation. The latest inspection supports that broad picture of a school with high ambition and well-established routines. The latest Ofsted inspection (7 and 8 March 2023) judged the school Outstanding across all graded areas, including early years.
Nursery is part of the school’s structure, with entry from age 3, and sessions and routines set out separately from Reception to Year 6. Parents considering a nursery start should treat this as a genuine entry point, not just childcare bolted on to a primary, and note that nursery admissions are handled directly by the school rather than through the local authority’s coordinated process.
For a state primary, Sheredes stands out on outcomes.
94.33% reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. England average: 62%.
Higher standard in reading, writing and maths: 50%. England average: 8%.
Reading scaled score: 111.
Maths scaled score: 109.
Grammar, punctuation and spelling (GPS) scaled score: 111.
(These are the figures provided in the supplied dataset and should be treated as the benchmark metrics for comparison.)
Sheredes is ranked 314th in England for primary outcomes and 1st locally in Hoddesdon in the FindMySchool ranking results. This places it well above the England average and within the top 10% of primaries in England on that measure.
Implication for families: strong attainment at the top end suggests the school is likely to suit children who respond well to clear routines and high expectations, and it can be particularly attractive to families who want evidence that pupils are stretched, not just kept on track.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
Reading, Writing & Maths
94.33%
% of pupils achieving expected standard
The inspection narrative and school materials point to a curriculum with breadth and strong sequencing, and to classroom practice designed to build secure knowledge over time. The practical infrastructure helps here: a food technology room supports hands-on learning, and a dedicated music room plus specialist tuition options suggest music is treated as a normal part of school life rather than a once-a-term enrichment activity.
In early years, structure is explicit. Nursery and Reception have clearly defined sessions and times, with nursery offering morning, afternoon, and an all-day pattern with an option to extend. That level of operational clarity tends to correlate with stable routines, which many children find reassuring at age 3 to 5.
Quality of Education
Outstanding
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
FMS Inspection Score calculated by FindMySchool based on official inspection data.
As a Hertfordshire primary, secondary transfer is handled through the local authority’s coordinated process and is not automatic to any one school. The prospectus explicitly prompts parents of Year 6 pupils to attend local secondary open evenings early in the autumn term and to submit the secondary transfer application through the local authority.
For families planning ahead, the practical takeaway is this: Sheredes is a strong academic primary, but the next step depends on your secondary preferences, the admissions rules of those schools, and your address at the time of application. If you are mapping options, FindMySchool’s Local Hub and comparison tools can be useful for viewing likely secondaries side by side.
Sheredes is oversubscribed on the primary entry route: 221 applications for 59 offers, around 3.75 applications per place. This is a level of demand that typically makes distance and priority categories matter.
The school’s admissions information and prospectus set out a straightforward approach: priority to siblings already at the school, then places allocated by geographical factors, with scope for medical, social, educational or personal reasons to override where applicable.
Nursery admissions are handled directly by the school. The school diary also lists a nursery application closing date for the 2026 to 2027 nursery intake, which suggests nursery places run on their own timetable.
For Hertfordshire Reception applications for September 2026, the county’s published dates include:
Applications open: 3 November 2025
Deadline: 15 January 2026
National allocation day: 16 April 2026
Acceptance deadline: 23 April 2026
These dates come from Hertfordshire County Council’s published primary admissions timetable.
Practical implication: if Sheredes is a priority, you need a disciplined approach to deadlines. Also, because demand is high, it is sensible to use FindMySchoolMap Search to understand your distance to the school compared with local patterns, even when distance is not the only criterion.
60.2%
1st preference success rate
53 of 88 first-choice applicants received an offer
Places
59
Offers
59
Applications
221
Pastoral structures are visible in pupil-facing features and systems. Buddying is formalised, with older pupils supporting Reception starters and a Year 5 Buddy Club that runs at lunchtimes to help children join games and settle socially. This kind of peer-structure is often particularly valuable in a large primary because it creates “small community” touchpoints within a bigger cohort.
The prospectus also emphasises safeguarding and sets expectations about child welfare procedures, including the school’s legal duties. Parents who value clarity on safeguarding culture will generally find it reassuring when a school documents the basics plainly and repeatedly, rather than treating it as a checkbox.
Sheredes provides unusually specific, practical detail on clubs, which is always a good sign because it suggests the programme is genuinely active rather than aspirational.
From the Spring 2026 club list, examples include:
Coding Club (Years 5 and 6)
LEGO Club (Year 4)
Times Tables Rockstars sessions (Years 3 and 4)
Cedar News school news reporters (Years 5 and 6)
Green Fingers gardening club (Years 3 and 4)
Chess Club (Years 5 and 6)
Harry Potter Club (Year 5)
Board Game Club (Reception)
Spanish (Years 3 and 4, with Years 5 and 6 receiving timetabled Spanish)
Italian club via an external provider
Football across multiple age groups and netball for Years 3 to 6
Yoga and dance provision in Key Stage 1 and beyond
These are named activities published by the school for the Spring 2026 programme.
Sport is also visible in the way the school records competitions and results, including district sports and football and netball tournaments for older year groups.
Music opportunities include peripatetic instrumental teaching, with the prospectus listing instruments such as guitar, flute, clarinet, saxophone, drums, violin, and piano, plus free string tuition for Year 3 and Year 4 children. For parents, the implication is that music can be pursued seriously without needing to do all provision off-site.
The prospectus sets out clear session timings: Reception runs 8:50am to 3:15pm, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 run 8:50am to 3:20pm, with nursery sessions listed separately.
On-site breakfast and after school provision is led by Jousters Childcare. School-published information indicates breakfast club and after school club availability, with the school day page stating wraparound runs from 7:45am until classes start, and after school until 6:00pm.
The prospectus is unusually direct about traffic and safety, describing morning congestion and a voluntary one-way system, plus restrictions on vehicle access to the premises at peak times. It also references local parking controls and emphasises pedestrian safety. Practical implication: if you drive, you should expect constraints and should plan drop-off and pick-up routines carefully.
Demand is high. With 221 applications for 59 offers on the primary entry route admission can be competitive. This is a school where understanding the priority rules matters.
Traffic management is a real issue. The school’s own prospectus explicitly flags congestion and sets out restrictions and a voluntary one-way system for safety.
Nursery and Reception are different admissions routes. Nursery admissions are handled directly by the school, while Reception applications follow Hertfordshire’s coordinated timeline. If you assume nursery entry guarantees Reception, you may be disappointed.
Expect a high-attainment peer group at Key Stage 2. With 50% hitting the higher standard in reading, writing and maths children who need a slower pace may require careful support to feel confident.
Sheredes Primary School is a large, well-established Hoddesdon primary with an outdoor setting and specialist facilities that support a broad curriculum, plus a detailed, working extracurricular programme. Outcomes are exceptionally strong, which aligns with an ethos of clear routines and high expectations.
This suits families who want a state primary with a track record of high attainment, structured pastoral systems like buddying, and plenty of clubs and activities. The main hurdle is admission demand, so shortlisting should be paired with a realistic plan for allocations and alternatives.
Sheredes was judged Outstanding in its most recent Ofsted inspection (7 and 8 March 2023), including Outstanding for early years. The supplied Key Stage 2 data is also very strong, with 94.33% meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, well above the England average of 62%.
This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should budget for typical extras such as uniform, trips, and optional activities, and check the school’s published charging policy for specifics.
Reception applications are made through Hertfordshire’s coordinated admissions system. For September 2026 entry, Hertfordshire’s published key dates include applications opening 3 November 2025, the deadline 15 January 2026, and national allocation day 16 April 2026.
Yes, nursery provision is part of the school, with sessions and timings set out in the school prospectus. Nursery admissions are handled directly by the school rather than through Hertfordshire’s coordinated Reception process.
The school publishes detailed club lists. Examples from Spring 2026 include Coding Club, LEGO Club, Cedar News (school news reporters), Green Fingers gardening, chess, Spanish, football, netball, yoga, and KS1 and KS2 choir.
Get in touch with the school directly
Disclaimer
Information on this page is compiled, analysed, and processed from publicly available sources including the Department for Education (DfE), Ofsted, the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, and official school websites.
Our rankings, metrics, and assessments are derived from this data using our own methodologies and represent our independent analysis rather than official standings.
While we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee that all information is current, complete, or error-free. Data may change without notice, and schools and/or local authorities should be contacted directly to verify any details before making decisions.
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