Waterside Academy

General Information

Address: Rowans, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 1NZ
Phone: 01707321203
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Mr Kevin Peart
Age range: 3-11 years
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Does not apply
Number of pupils: 166
School capacity: 210
Pupils eligible for free school meals: 68
% eligible for free school meals: 43.9%
Nursery provision: Yes

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: 5.7%
Persistently absent pupils: 17.7%
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: 27.1%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 5.4%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Speech, language and communications needs: 21 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 12 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 4 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 4 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 3 pupils

Most common needs - EHC Plan

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

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Educational Attainment

Good 2022 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 #26 of 28 Ofsted Rating schools of this type in the area

#24Templewood Primary SchoolGood
#25The Ryde SchoolGood
#26Waterside AcademyGood
#27Creswick AcademyRequires improvement
#28Watchlytes Primary SchoolInadequate

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.

#1Countess Anne Church of England SchoolOutstanding
#2Howe Dell Primary SchoolOutstanding
#3Applecroft SchoolGood
#4Birchwood Avenue Primary SchoolGood
#5Brookmans Park Primary SchoolGood
#6Commonswood Primary & Nursery SchoolGood
#7Cuffley SchoolGood
#8De Havilland Primary SchoolGood
#9Essendon CofE (VC) Primary SchoolGood
#10Green Lanes Primary SchoolGood
#11Harwood Hill Junior Mixed Infant and Nursery SchoolGood
#12Holwell Primary SchoolGood
#13Little Heath Primary SchoolGood
#14Oak View Primary and Nursery SchoolGood
#15Oaklands Primary SchoolGood
#16Our Lady Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#17Panshanger Primary SchoolGood
#18Ponsbourne St Mary's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#19Springmead Primary SchoolGood
#20St John's CofE Primary SchoolGood
#21St John's Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School, LemsfordGood
#22St Michael's Woolmer Green CofE VA Primary SchoolGood
#23St Philip Howard Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#24Templewood Primary SchoolGood
#25The Ryde SchoolGood
#26Waterside AcademyGood
#27Creswick AcademyRequires improvement
#28Watchlytes Primary SchoolInadequate

Financials

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

Spending per pupil: £9,188 (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 #2 of 36 Spending Per Pupil schools of this type in the area

#1Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School£11,127
#2Waterside Academy£9,188
#3St Mary's Church of England VA Primary School, Welham Green£8,503
#4Howe Dell Primary School£8,434

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.

#1Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School£11,127
#2Waterside Academy£9,188
#3St Mary's Church of England VA Primary School, Welham Green£8,503
#4Howe Dell Primary School£8,434
#5Watchlytes Primary School£8,302
#6Birchwood Avenue Primary School£8,221
#7Northaw Church of England Primary School£8,033
#8Homerswood Primary and Nursery School£7,770
#9St John's Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School, Lemsford£7,749
#10Swallow Dell Primary and Nursery School£7,741
#11Ponsbourne St Mary's Church of England Primary School£7,622
#12Peartree Primary School£7,615
#13Oaklands Primary School£7,333
#14Templewood Primary School£7,326
#15St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School£7,324
#16Harwood Hill Junior Mixed Infant and Nursery School£7,154
#17Countess Anne Church of England School£7,149
#18Holwell Primary School£7,101
#19Creswick Academy£7,071
#20The Ryde School£6,906
#21Oak View Primary and Nursery School£6,885
#22Springmead Primary School£6,779
#23Little Heath Primary School£6,760
#24St John's CofE Primary School£6,644
#25Green Lanes Primary School£6,489
#26St Michael's Woolmer Green CofE VA Primary School£6,396
#27De Havilland Primary School£6,297
#28Hatfield Community Free School£6,234
#29Panshanger Primary School£6,232
#30Applecroft School£6,116
#31Brookmans Park Primary School£6,093
#32Commonswood Primary & Nursery School£6,093
#33Our Lady Catholic Primary School£6,061
#34Welwyn St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School£6,040
#35Cuffley School£5,830
#36The Holy Family Catholic Primary School£1,078

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