Swallow Dell Primary and Nursery School is a primary school in Welwyn Garden City, serving pupils aged 3 to 11. The school is a community school and operates as a mixed school. It follows a not applicable admissions policy. It does not have a designated religious character, which may suit families looking for a non-faith school.
Swallow Dell Primary and Nursery School currently has around 422 pupils on roll, which is about 94% of its capacity. The gender split is relatively balanced, with approximately 48.6% boys and 51.4% girls. Around 28.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which gives an indication of the socio-economic mix. The school has a diverse intake across different backgrounds and needs.
Overall absence at the school is 7.8%. Persistent absence is recorded at 25.4%. The school also includes resourced provision, supporting 6 pupils.
The majority of pupils are from a white british background (64.2%).
Safeguarding was judged to be effective, which is a key consideration for many parents.
| Address: | Blackthorn Road, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 3JP |
| Website: | http://www.swallowdell.herts.sch.uk |
| Telephone: | 01707339079 |
| School Type: | Community school |
| Education phase: | Primary |
| Local authority: | Hertfordshire |
| Headteacher / Principal: | Mr James Berry |
| Religious character: | Does not apply |
| Admissions policy: | Not applicable |
| Unique reference: | 133488 |
Ofsted inspection date: 24/06/2025
Safeguarding is effective
| Age Range: | 3 - 11 |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| School Capacity: | 450 |
| Number of Pupils: | 422 |
| Number of Boys: | 205 |
| Number of Girls: | 217 |
| School | England state-funded schools: | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall absence: | 7.8% | 4% |
| Persistent absence: | 25.4% | 8.2% |
| White British | 64.20% | 271 |
| Other White | 8.50% | 36 |
| Other Asian | 4.00% | 17 |
| African | 4.00% | 17 |
| Indian | 3.60% | 15 |
| Other Mixed | 3.30% | 14 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 3.10% | 13 |
| White and Asian | 2.80% | 12 |
| White and Black African | 2.40% | 10 |
| Other (any other ethnic group) | 1.40% | 6 |
| Pakistani | 0.50% | 2 |
| Gypsy/Roma | 0.50% | 2 |
| Irish Traveller (Traveller of Irish heritage) | 0.50% | 2 |
| Other Black | 0.50% | 2 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.20% | 1 |
| Caribbean | 0.20% | 1 |
| Unclassified | 0.20% | 1 |
| Irish | 0.00% | 0 |
| Chinese | 0.00% | 0 |
Progress scores show how pupils performed compared with pupils nationally who had similar prior attainment. Scores above 0 are better than average; below 0 are worse than average.
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ludwick Nursery School Holwell Road , AL7 3RP | 4out of 4 | 763 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackthorn Junior School Blackthorn Road , AL7 3JP | - not rated | 0 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Thumbswood Infant School Blackthorn Road , AL7 3JP | - not rated | 0 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Swallow Dell Primary and Nursery School Blackthorn Road , AL7 3JP | - not rated | 0 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Holwell Primary School Holwell Road , AL7 3RP | 3out of 4 | 696 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Panshanger Primary School Daniells , AL7 1QY | 3out of 4 | 888 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgeway Academy Herns Lane , AL7 2AF | - not rated | 994 yd | Academy sponsor led | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Sir Frederic Osborn School Herns Lane , AL7 2AF | - not rated | 994 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Sir John Newsom School Oaken Grove , AL7 4TP | - not rated | 1,337 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Stanborough School Lemsford Lane , AL8 6YR | - not rated | 2,612 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Stanborough School Lemsford Lane , AL8 6YR | 3out of 4 | 2,612 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Hyde School Holwell Hyde , Cole Green Lane AL7 3DH | - not rated | 1,006 yd | Community special school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| James Marks Academy The Commons , AL7 4RZ | - not rated | 1,480 yd | Free schools special | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Lakeside School Lemsford Lane , AL8 6YN | 4out of 4 | 2,835 yd | Community special school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.