OFSTED
26 March 2024
Latest graded inspection
Latest published outcome
Outstanding
OEIF
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour & attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership & management
Outstanding
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
—
Local authority
Essex
Trust
SAFFRON ACADEMY TRUST
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
2,157
2,157 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
1,115
51.7% of pupils
Male pupils
1,042
48.3% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
16.7 pts
below England
School
8.1%
Uttlesford
11.0%
East of England
19.7%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
14.2 pts
below England
School
6.1%
Uttlesford
5.9%
East of England
16.4%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
2.0 pts
above England
School
3.0%
Uttlesford
2.0%
East of England
1.7%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
81.7%
1,762
Any other White background
6.8%
146
Unclassified
3.0%
65
Any other Mixed background
1.7%
36
White and Asian
1.3%
29
Any other Asian background
1.1%
24
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
19.4%
419 of
2,157 pupils
1.4 pts
below England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
1.3 pts
above
England
6.0%
2.7 pts
below
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
2024/25
Key stage 4 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.
ATTAINMENT 8
Average attainment score
59.7
20.5 pts
above England
Latest published: 0.28 · 2023/24
Comparisons are averages of published school-level results for open schools. They are not pupil-weighted official local authority attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
7.16%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
0.94 pts
higher than
England
School
7.16%
Uttlesford
5.25%
East of England
6.17%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
17.57%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
1.75 pts
higher than
England
School
17.57%
Uttlesford
11.28%
East of England
15.39%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
2.29%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
0.48 pts
higher than
England
School
2.29%
Uttlesford
1.00%
East of England
1.83%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open secondary schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
105.2%
12.9 pts
above England
Saffron Walden County High School
105.2%
Uttlesford
94.9%
East of England
92.9%
England
92.3%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.