Hormead Church of England (VA) First School
Great Hormead, Buntingford, SG9 0NR
- Phase
- Primary
- School type
- Voluntary aided school
- Ages
- 2 to 9
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Headteacher
- Mrs Lynda Cowler
- Diocese
- Diocese of St Albans
- Nursery provision
- Has Nursery Classes
- Constituency
- North East Hertfordshire
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
- Capacity
- 109
- Pupils on roll
- 143
- URN
- 117439
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire
- Website
- School website
- Telephone
- 01763289201
About this school
Hormead Church of England (VA) First School is a Church of England voluntary aided primary school in Buntingford. It teaches children aged 2 to 9 and has 143 pupils on roll.
You can read Ofsted's latest judgement for the school below. Where the Department for Education has published them, its results and pupil characteristics appear below. Seeing a school for yourself shows what no page can, so arrange a visit before you apply.
Ofsted judgement
Overall judgement at the last full inspection
This inspection took place under the previous framework, which gave a single overall grade. Ofsted now publishes report cards instead, so newer inspections of other schools will look different. How Ofsted report cards work
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Effective
Trends over time
How Hormead Church of England (VA) First School has moved over recent years against the local and national picture. Every figure is shown in the table beneath its chart.
| Year | This school | England average |
|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 5.4% | 6.8% |
| 2023/24 | 6.3% | 6.6% |
| 2024/25 | 3.9% | 6.2% |
Department for Education pupil absence data.
| Year | This school |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 120 |
| 2023/24 | 127 |
| 2024/25 | 131 |
School census, spring count each academic year.
How Hormead Church of England (VA) First School compares
Its absence rate was lower than 85% of England schools in 2024/25.
| School | KS2 RWM (2024/25) | Absence | FSM (6 years) | Pupils | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This school | — | 3.9% | 14.6% | 143 | — |
| Anstey First School | — | 7.8% | 34.4% | 39 | 1.9 miles |
| Layston Church of England First School | — | 5.6% | 21.6% | 124 | 2.0 miles |
| Buntingford First School | — | 8.2% | 23.1% | 165 | 2.0 miles |
| Millfield First and Nursery School | — | 4.4% | 10.2% | 311 | 2.3 miles |
| Furneux Pelham Church of England School | 42% | 3.9% | 13.3% | 107 | 2.5 miles |
Results reflect each school's cohort as much as its teaching, and free school meals share is context, not a judgement. Small gaps between neighbouring schools are rarely meaningful on their own.
School context
From the 2024/25 school census and absence figures.
- Free school meals (last 6 years)
- 14.58%
- English as an additional language
- 7.6%
- Overall absence
- 3.91%
- Persistent absence
- 3.75%
Location
Nearby schools
-
Anstey First School1.9 miles
Primary · Buntingford
-
Layston Church of England First School2.0 miles
Primary · Buntingford
-
Buntingford First School2.0 miles
Primary · Buntingford
-
Millfield First and Nursery School2.3 miles
Primary · Buntingford
-
Furneux Pelham Church of England School2.5 miles
Primary · Furneux Pelham
Other schools in Buntingford
- Anstey First School Primary
- Buntingford First School Primary
- Layston Church of England First School Primary
- Millfield First and Nursery School Primary
- Edwinstree Church of England Middle School Middle deemed secondary
- Freman College Secondary
Common questions
- What year groups does Hormead Church of England (VA) First School teach?
- Hormead Church of England (VA) First School teaches children aged 2 to 9. It is a primary school in Buntingford.
- Who is the headteacher of Hormead Church of England (VA) First School?
- The headteacher of Hormead Church of England (VA) First School is Mrs Lynda Cowler, as recorded in the Department for Education's register of schools.
- When was Hormead Church of England (VA) First School last inspected?
- Ofsted has inspected Hormead Church of England (VA) First School, and its latest judgement is set out in the inspection section on this page, with the framework and the date it was made.
- How big is Hormead Church of England (VA) First School?
- Hormead Church of England (VA) First School has 143 pupils on roll, teaching children aged 2 to 9.
- Is Hormead Church of England (VA) First School full?
- Hormead Church of England (VA) First School has capacity for 109 pupils and 143 on roll (131%), so it is at or above its published capacity. Places are allocated through the local authority's admissions process, so capacity alone does not tell you whether a place is available.
- Is Hormead Church of England (VA) First School a faith school?
- Yes. Hormead Church of England (VA) First School is designated Church of England, in the Diocese of St Albans.
- Does Hormead Church of England (VA) First School have a nursery?
- Yes. The schools register records Hormead Church of England (VA) First School as having nursery classes.
- What is Hormead Church of England (VA) First School's absence rate?
- Hormead Church of England (VA) First School's overall absence rate is 3.9% in the latest published census, at or below the England average of 6.2%.
- Does Hormead Church of England (VA) First School publish exam results?
- OfferDay shows exam results for a school only where the Department for Education has published them, and none are shown for Hormead Church of England (VA) First School. That is usual for infant, nursery, special and independent schools, and for schools without recent published results.
School details come from the Department for Education's Get Information About Schools register. Inspection outcomes come from Ofsted, and exam results from the Department for Education's school performance service. This page was last updated on 30 June 2026.