SchoolScoresHighbury Infant School and Nursery
Community school · Primary, ages 3 to 7 · Mixed · Nursery class
Standhill Road, Hitchin, SG4 9AG
01462 630500 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 20 June 2013.
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 | Good |
| Outcomes for pupils | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 2 November 2022: Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
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 one first-choice application for every place.
| Places offered | 47 |
|---|---|
| Families who put it first | 43 |
| Of those, offered a place | 43 (100%) |
| Families who listed it at all | 136 |
First-choice applications per place: 2024: 0.8 · 2025: 0.8 · 2026: 0.9
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 Joint 20th highest of 27 state primary schools in Hitchin. Higher than 13% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 8.4% | 17.1%* | 26.3% |
| With an education, health and care plan 27th highest of 27 state primary schools in Hitchin. Higher than 4% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 0.5% | 3.2%* | 3.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 17th highest of 27 state primary schools in Hitchin. Higher than 31% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 11.7% | 14.0%* | 15.0% |
| English as an additional language 14th highest of 27 state primary schools in Hitchin. Higher than 51% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 10.3% | 21.3%* | 23.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 8th lowest of 27 state primary schools in Hitchin. Lower than 82% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 3.9% | 5.0%* | 5.2% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 12th lowest of 27 state primary schools in Hitchin. Lower than 82% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 6.6% | 11.5%* | 13.0% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils 17th lowest of 27 state primary schools in Hitchin. Lower than 28% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.5 |
| Pupils suspended at least once 15th lowest of 27 state primary schools in Hitchin. Lower than 42% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 0.9% | 1.3% | 1.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.02% | 0.03% |
| Pupils per teacher 15th highest of 27 state primary schools in Hitchin. Higher than 28% of 16,642 state primary schools in England. | 18.6 | 20.2 | 20.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 15th highest of 27 state primary schools in Hitchin. Higher than 46% of 16,653 state primary schools in England. | 10.5 | 10.4 | 10.6 |
| Teachers who left during the year 9th highest of 26 state primary schools in Hitchin. Higher than 87% of 15,063 state primary schools in England. | 28.2% | 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
- Whitehill Junior School 0.4 miles · Ofsted: Good (2017), confirmed, may be improving 2023 · 72% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Andrew's CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School, Hitchin 0.5 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2018), confirmed with concerns 2024 · 68% met expected standard (KS2)
- William Ransom Primary School 0.6 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) · 78% met expected standard (KS2)
- Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy 0.7 miles · Ofsted: Good (2019), confirmed 2024 · 70% met expected standard (KS2)
- Samuel Lucas Primary School 0.7 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2023) · 75% met expected standard (KS2)
- Mary Exton Primary School 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2022) · 40% met expected standard (KS2)
- Oughton Primary and Nursery School 1.1 miles · Ofsted: Good (2017), confirmed 2023 · 48% met expected standard (KS2)
- Strathmore Infant and Nursery School 1.1 miles · Ofsted: Good (2014), confirmed 2023
- Purwell Primary School 1.2 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2024) · 57% met expected standard (KS2)
- Highover Primary School 1.2 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) · 68% met expected standard (KS2)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Highbury Infant School and Nursery's Ofsted rating?
Highbury Infant School and Nursery was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 20 June 2013. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 2 November 2022, Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Is Highbury Infant School and Nursery oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 43 families put Highbury Infant School and Nursery as their first choice for 47 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 43 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 117113.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.