Samuel Lucas Primary School

General Information

Address: Gaping Lane, Hitchin, SG5 2JQ
Phone: 01462456737
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Miss Helen Brind
Age range: 4-11 years
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Does not apply
Number of pupils: 416
School capacity: 420
Pupils eligible for free school meals: 23
% eligible for free school meals: 5.5%
Nursery provision: No

Behaviour

Awaiting Data

About this Behaviour status

We've asked this school for real behaviour figures under Freedom of Information and haven't had a response yet.

Behaviour information for this school has not been added yet.

Attendance

Overall absence: 4.3%
Persistently absent pupils: 7.1%
Data year: 2024/25

About persistent absence

A pupil is counted as "persistently absent" if they miss 10% or more of their possible school sessions - roughly one day in every two weeks. Schools and Ofsted both pay close attention to this figure specifically, since it can highlight a pattern the overall absence rate alone might hide.

SEN

No dedicated Unit or Resourced Provision

SEN Unit and Resourced Provision

Most mainstream schools don't have a dedicated SEN Unit or Resourced Provision - it isn't a mark against a school that doesn't, just a different kind of setup than one that does.

SEN provision information for this school has not been added yet.

Pupils on SEN Support: 9.6%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 3.8%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Speech, language and communications needs: 21 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 9 pupils
SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need: 4 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 2 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 2 pupils

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Speech, language and communications needs: 11 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 3 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 1 pupil
Autistic spectrum disorder: 1 pupil

These figures show the makeup of the school.

About these SEND figures

These figures give a sense of the makeup of the school - they aren't a judgement on the quality of support provided.

Parent score - no reviews yet –

Behaviour

–

Openness

–

Teaching Quality

–

School Ethos

–

Ability to Deal with Problems

–

Headteacher Approval

–

Would recommend –

Give this school your first review

Educational Attainment

Outstanding 2023 report

About this Ofsted rating

Ofsted changed how it rates schools in the last couple of years, so ratings from different years aren't always on the same scale - that's why we show the year alongside every rating.

Educational attainment data for this school has not been added yet.

View full Ofsted inspection report

Ranked #1 of 36 Ofsted Rating schools of this type in the area

#1Samuel Lucas Primary SchoolOutstanding
#2St Andrew's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, HitchinOutstanding
#3St Mary Roman Catholic Primary SchoolOutstanding

Click to see the full ranking

Ofsted Rating ranking

Based on real Ofsted ratings (via official DfE data) for schools on the same four-word grading scale.

#1Samuel Lucas Primary SchoolOutstanding
#2St Andrew's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, HitchinOutstanding
#3St Mary Roman Catholic Primary SchoolOutstanding
#4Ashwell Primary SchoolGood
#5Barkway VA Church of England First SchoolGood
#6Barley (VA) Church of England First SchoolGood
#7Breachwood Green Junior Mixed and Infant SchoolGood
#8Garden City AcademyGood
#9Graveley Primary SchoolGood
#10Highover Primary SchoolGood
#11Ickleford Primary SchoolGood
#12Kimpton Primary SchoolGood
#13King James Academy RoystonGood
#14Knebworth Primary and Nursery SchoolGood
#15Lordship Farm Primary SchoolGood
#16Mary Exton Primary SchoolGood
#17Norton St Nicholas CofE (VA) Primary SchoolGood
#18Offley Endowed Primary School and NurseryGood
#19Oughton Primary and Nursery SchoolGood
#20Our Lady Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#21Preston Primary SchoolGood
#22Purwell Primary SchoolGood
#23Reed First SchoolGood
#24Roman Way AcademyGood
#25St Ippolyts Church of England Aided Primary SchoolGood
#26St John Roman Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#27St Paul's Walden Primary SchoolGood
#28St Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#29Stonehill SchoolGood
#30Tannery Drift SchoolGood
#31Therfield First SchoolGood
#32Weston Primary & Nursery SchoolGood
#33Wymondley Junior Mixed and Infant SchoolGood
#34Cockernhoe Endowed CofE Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#35Pirton SchoolRequires improvement
#36Sandon Junior Mixed and Infant SchoolRequires improvement

Financials

Financial summary information for this school has not been added yet.

Spending per pupil: £5,897 (2024-25)

About this spending figure

A higher or lower position here isn't a sign of a better or worse school - schools have different needs and circumstances - but it can help reassure you that a school has sufficient funding behind your child's education.

Ranked #39 of 41 Spending Per Pupil schools of this type in the area

#37Hartsfield Junior Mixed and Infant School£5,983
#38Highover Primary School£5,901
#39Samuel Lucas Primary School£5,897
#40St Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School£5,747
#41Round Diamond Primary School£5,724

Click to see the full ranking

Spending Per Pupil ranking

Based on official DfE financial return data (Consistent Financial Reporting / Academies Accounts Return) - not a ranking of school quality.

#1Sandon Junior Mixed and Infant School£19,350
#2Barley (VA) Church of England First School£13,869
#3Preston Primary School£10,406
#4St Paul's Walden Primary School£10,201
#5Breachwood Green Junior Mixed and Infant School£9,567
#6Oughton Primary and Nursery School£8,756
#7Graveley Primary School£8,710
#8Garden City Academy£8,632
#9Cockernhoe Endowed CofE Primary School£8,569
#10Mary Exton Primary School£8,486
#11Therfield First School£8,430
#12Reed First School£8,036
#13Wymondley Junior Mixed and Infant School£7,958
#14Weston Primary & Nursery School£7,880
#15Kimpton Primary School£7,744
#16Purwell Primary School£7,723
#17Stonehill School£7,432
#18Pirton School£7,361
#19St John Roman Catholic Primary School£7,352
#20Our Lady Catholic Primary School£7,145
#21King James Academy Royston£7,100
#22St Ippolyts Church of England Aided Primary School£6,897
#23Icknield Walk First School£6,787
#24Studlands Rise First School£6,772
#25Codicote Church of England Primary School£6,654
#26Knebworth Primary and Nursery School£6,653
#27Offley Endowed Primary School and Nursery£6,649
#28William Ransom Primary School£6,614
#29St Mary Roman Catholic Primary School£6,563
#30Norton St Nicholas CofE (VA) Primary School£6,481
#31Ashwell Primary School£6,452
#32Lordship Farm Primary School£6,450
#33Roman Way Academy£6,374
#34Tannery Drift School£6,301
#35St Andrew's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Hitchin£6,295
#36Ickleford Primary School£6,091
#37Hartsfield Junior Mixed and Infant School£5,983
#38Highover Primary School£5,901
#39Samuel Lucas Primary School£5,897
#40St Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School£5,747
#41Round Diamond Primary School£5,724

View on the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool (GOV.UK)