Saffron Walden County High School
Secondary · Academy converter · Ages 11–18 · Saffron Walden, Essex
Last distance offered · Year 7 2026
Every applicant was offered a place
From Essex County Council · offers on 2 March 2026
Year 7 last distance offered, 2023–2026 (miles)
All: every applicant was offered a place.
Saffron Walden County High School is a secondary school in Saffron Walden, Essex for ages 11–18 (academy converter). Its latest Ofsted outcome is Outstanding, from the inspection on 26 March 2024. Essex has published a last distance offered for this school for Year 7 2022 to 2026 entry.
Saffron Walden County High School catchment area: last distance offered
Parents often call this the catchment area: it's how far from the school the last child offered a place lived. It changes every year.
| Entry | Last distance offered |
|---|---|
| Year 7 2026 | Every applicant was offered a place |
| Year 7 2025 | Every applicant was offered a place |
| Year 7 2023 | Every applicant was offered a place |
| Year 7 2022 | Not published |
What the pass includes · How to read it: one past year, not a catchment
What the figures show
- In 2026, Year 7 had 344 first-choice applications for 290 offers, 1.2 first choices per offer, the 14th highest of 75 Essex secondary schools.
- For Year 7 in 2026, 289 offers went to first-choice families and 55 first-choice families were not offered a place.
- 66% of pupils got grade 5 or above in GCSE English and maths in 2024/25, the highest of 9 schools: this one and the 8 nearest secondary schools in Essex.
Worked out by Catchmently from the published figures on this page and those for other Essex schools. Distances are as published; how they were measured differs between admission authorities.
Key facts
- Address
- Audley End Road, Saffron Walden, CB11 4UH
- Type
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Secondary
- Ages
- 11–18
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Council
- Essex
- Pupils on roll
- 2,157 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 8.1% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 17.2
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
Outstanding Inspected 26 March 2024
Strengths
- “Whether they join in the main school or the sixth form, pupils quickly settle in and make friends.”
- “There is a strong sense of community.”
- “Pupils are extremely proud of their achievements, including beyond the academic.”
Safeguarding: Effective
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 14 May 2024 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| GCSE English and maths, grade 5 or above (2024/25) | 66% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 score (2024/25) | 59.7 | 46 |
| A level average grade (2024/25) | B | B- |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Applications and offers
- 2026 Year 7 entry: 344 first-preference applications, 290 offers in total, 289 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
Nearby secondary schools
Straight-line distance, in Essex.
- Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport 2.2 mi Good Last distance published
- Forest Hall School 8.6 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Hedingham School and Sixth Form 15.4 mi School remains Good Last distance published
- Tabor Academy 16.0 mi Requires improvement Last distance published
- Mark Hall Academy 17.0 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Notley High School and Braintree Sixth Form 17.1 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Burnt Mill Academy 17.4 mi Good Last distance published
- Alec Hunter Academy 17.8 mi School remains Good Last distance published