SchoolScoresCunningham Hill Infant School
Community school · Primary, ages 5 to 7 · Mixed
Cell Barnes Lane, St Albans, AL1 5QJ
01727 857524 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at the inspection that started on 30 January 2024.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Outstanding |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding |
| Personal development | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
| Early years | Outstanding |
| Safeguarding | Effective |
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
What parents say
108 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025.
St Albans comparisons use the 24 of its 39 state primary schools with comparable results. The other 15 have no published Parent View results (Ofsted only publishes a survey once at least 10 parents answer) or used Ofsted's newer questions, which we don't compare with the older ones.
| Statement | This school | St Albans | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school Joint 7th highest of 24 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in St Albans. Higher than 70% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 98% | 95% | 88% |
| My child feels safe at this school Joint 2nd highest of 24 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in St Albans. Higher than 76% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 99% | 95% | 90% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved Joint 3rd highest of 24 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in St Albans. Higher than 83% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 98% | 91% | 84% |
| Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 18 parents whose child had been bullied 12th highest of 22 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in St Albans. Higher than 52% of 6,022 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 56% | 54% | 50% |
| Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 66 parents who had raised a concern Joint 7th highest of 24 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in St Albans. Higher than 76% of 8,398 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 91% | 83% | 76% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent Joint 5th highest of 24 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in St Albans. Higher than 83% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 98%said yes | 91% | 84% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families. Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. St Albans figures pool parents at the St Albans schools compared, from each school's latest survey, so survey dates differ between schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.
Results
No test or exam results have been published for this school yet.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Hertfordshire. The national closing date for primary applications is 15 January, and offers are sent on 16 April.
How hard is it to get in?
For the September 2026 intake there were about 1.5 first-choice applications for every place.
| Places offered | 59 |
|---|---|
| Families who put it first | 78 |
| Of those, offered a place | 59 (76%) |
| Families who listed it at all | 246 |
First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.2 · 2025: 1.3 · 2026: 1.3
This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.
Pupils, staff and SEND
| Pupils | This school | Hertfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 28th highest of 39 state primary schools in St Albans. Higher than 11% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 7.8% | 17.1%* | 26.3% |
| With an education, health and care plan 37th highest of 39 state primary schools in St Albans. Higher than 11% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 1.1% | 3.2%* | 3.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 15th highest of 39 state primary schools in St Albans. Higher than 47% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 13.9% | 14.0%* | 15.0% |
| English as an additional language 2nd highest of 39 state primary schools in St Albans. Higher than 86% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 41.7% | 21.3%* | 23.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 5th lowest of 39 state primary schools in St Albans. Lower than 93% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 3.4% | 5.0%* | 5.2% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 2nd lowest of 39 state primary schools in St Albans. Lower than 96% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 3.3% | 11.5%* | 13.0% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils Joint 1st lowest of 39 state primary schools in St Albans. Lower than 69% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 0.0 | 2.9 | 2.5 |
| Pupils suspended at least once Joint 1st lowest of 39 state primary schools in St Albans. Lower than 69% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 0.0% | 1.3% | 1.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.02% | 0.03% |
| Pupils per teacher Joint 16th highest of 39 state primary schools in St Albans. Higher than 49% of 16,642 state primary schools in England. | 20.5 | 20.2 | 20.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) Joint 20th highest of 39 state primary schools in St Albans. Higher than 42% of 16,653 state primary schools in England. | 10.3 | 10.4 | 10.6 |
| Teachers who left during the year 6th highest of 38 state primary schools in St Albans. Higher than 85% of 15,063 state primary schools in England. | 26.5% | 15.7%* | 14.4%* |
Comparisons are with primary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
Nearby primary schools
- Cunningham Hill Junior School 0.0 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2024) · 87% met expected standard (KS2)
- Camp Primary and Nursery School 0.3 miles · Ofsted: Good (2014), confirmed 2023 · 71% met expected standard (KS2)
- Windermere Primary School 0.3 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) · 48% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Alban and St Stephen Catholic Primary School and Nursery 0.4 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023, before conversion) · 78% met expected standard (KS2)
- Fleetville Junior School 0.5 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023) · 78% met expected standard (KS2)
- Fleetville Infant and Nursery School 0.6 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2023)
- St Peter's School 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2014), confirmed 2023 · 73% met expected standard (KS2)
- Oakwood Primary School 1.1 miles · Ofsted: Good (2024) · 74% met expected standard (KS2)
- Maple Primary School 1.1 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 6 strong, 1 expected · 93% met expected standard (KS2)
- Alban City School 1.1 miles · Ofsted: Good (2014), confirmed 2023 · 77% met expected standard (KS2)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Cunningham Hill Infant School's Ofsted rating?
Cunningham Hill Infant School was rated Outstanding by Ofsted at its inspection in 30 January 2024.
Would parents recommend Cunningham Hill Infant School?
98% of the 108 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025 said they would recommend Cunningham Hill Infant School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Is Cunningham Hill Infant School oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 78 families put Cunningham Hill Infant School as their first choice for 59 places: about 1.5 first-choice applications for every place. 59 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 117279.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 1 January 2024 to 6 January 2025.
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Page updated 26 September 2026.