Watchlytes Primary School
Primary · Academy sponsor led · Ages 3–11 · Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire
Last distance offered · Reception 2026
0.37 miles
Nearest School · Published by Hertfordshire County Council · offers on 16 April 2026
Reception last distance offered, 2019–2026 (miles)
Watchlytes Primary School is a primary school in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire for ages 3–11 (academy sponsor led). Hertfordshire has published a last distance offered for this school for Reception 2015 to 2026 entry.
Watchlytes Primary 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 |
|---|---|
| Reception 2026 | 0.37 mi |
| Reception 2025 | 0.18 mi |
| Reception 2024 | 0.19 mi |
| Reception 2023 | 0.33 mi |
| Reception 2022 | 0.27 mi |
| Reception 2021 | 0.19 mi |
| Reception 2020 | 0.44 mi |
| Reception 2019 | 0.40 mi |
| Reception 2018 | 0.45 mi |
| Reception 2017 | 0.16 mi |
| Reception 2016 | 0.22 mi |
| Reception 2015 | 0.38 mi |
What the pass includes · How to read it: one past year, not a catchment
What the figures show
- For Reception 2026 the last child offered a place, among children for whom it was their nearest school, lived 0.37 miles away, further than in 2025.
- Reception last distances have swung sharply between some years, most of all from 2017 to 2018; the 2026 figure was about the same as in 2015.
- For Reception 2026 there were 16 first-choice applications for 19 offers; every first-choice family was offered a place, and 3 offers went to families ranking it second or lower.
- In 2024/25, 76% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (England 62%), and 4% reached the higher standard (England 8%).
Worked out by Catchmently from the published figures on this page and those for other Hertfordshire schools. Distances are as published; how they were measured differs between admission authorities.
Key facts
- Address
- Watchlytes, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 2AZ
- Type
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase
- Primary
- Ages
- 3–11
- Council
- Hertfordshire
- Pupils on roll
- 158 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 32.9% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 16.7
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
No Ofsted grade Inspected 9 December 2025
Strengths
- “Pupils attend a school where their needs are first and foremost in the work of all staff.”
- “They enjoy warm and caring relationships with staff.”
- “This means that pupils are safe in school and feel they are part of the whole-school community.”
To improve
- “Older pupils, especially those who experienced weaker teaching in the past before current leaders joined the school, have some gaps in their knowledge in some subjects.”
- “While these gaps are diminishing quickly, some older pupils do not have the depth of knowledge they need.”
- “Leaders have now set their sights on ensuring all pupils arrive in school on time to ensure the school day starts swiftly and purposefully so all pupils maximise the time they have in school.”
Safeguarding: met
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 2 February 2026 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| Key stage 2 · reading, writing and maths, expected standard (2024/25) | 76% | 62% |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Applications and offers
- 2026 Reception entry: 16 first-preference applications, 19 offers in total, 16 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 primary schools
Straight-line distance, in Hertfordshire.
- Springmead Primary School 0.4 mi Good Last distance published
- Panshanger Primary School 0.4 mi Good Last distance published
- Swallow Dell Primary and Nursery School 0.6 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Holwell Primary School 1.0 mi Good Last distance published
- The Holy Family Catholic Primary School 1.0 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Commonswood Primary & Nursery School 1.0 mi Good Last distance published
- Waterside Academy 1.0 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Peartree Primary School 1.1 mi Standards maintained Last distance published
More in Hertfordshire
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