84%
GCSE 9–4 · 2024/25
66%
GCSE 5+ · 2024/25
59.7
Attainment 8 · 2024/25
55%
EBacc entry · 2024/25
1688.1
EBacc APS · 2024/25
2,119
Pupils · 2024/25
6%
EAL · 2024/25
18%
Persistent abs. · 2024/25
Ofsted inspection
Outstanding
Ofsted inspection · 26/03/2024
Inadequate
Requires improvement
Good
Outstanding
Local authorityEssex
PhaseSecondary with sixth form with sixth form
School typeAcademy
Pupil : teacher ratio17.4:1
AdmissionsNon-selective
Religious characterNone
StatusOpen
Overview of Saffron Walden County High School · Secondary with sixth form · Essex
Part ofSAFFRON ACADEMY TRUST
How does this school perform?
Key Stage 4 · 2024/25 · trend since 2016/17
GCSE 9–4 incl. Eng & maths
84%
+3pp
85%81%77%
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 85%
GCSE 5+ incl. Eng & maths
66%
+4pp
66%62%57%
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 66%
Attainment 8
59.7
+3.0
59.757.455.1
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 59.7
EBacc entry
55%
-20pp
75%65%55%
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 55%
EBacc APS
1688.1
+99.5
1688.11602.71517.2
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 1688.1
Sixth form
Key Stage 5 · 2024/25 · trend since 2016/17
A-level APS
40.0
+0.8
43.640.938.2
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 40.0
A-level value added
+0.19
0
+0.3+0.2+0.1
'17'18'19'24'25
'25 · +0.2
AAB+ in facilitating subjects
20%
+1pp
23%20%17%
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 20%
Average A-level grade
B
0
B+BB-
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · B
Pupils & context
2024/25
Pupils on roll
2,119
Pupil : teacher ratio
17.4
Workforce data · 2025/26
EAL
6%
FSM eligible
12%
SEN
19%
Overall absence
7%
Persistent absence
18%
Contact
Address
Audley End Road, Saffron Walden, CB11 4UH
Local authority
Essex
Website
Telephone
Email
—
History
All years · Historical DfE data by academic year
Secondary — Key Stage 4
GCSE attainment and Progress 8 — how pupils progressed from KS2 to KS4.
| Year | GCSE 9–4 | GCSE 5+ | Attainment 8 | Progress 8 | EBacc entry | EBacc APS | EBacc lang entry | Cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 84% | 66% | 59.7 | Not applicable | 55% | 1688.1 | 58% | 2,119 |
| 2023/24 | 82% | 62% | 56.7 | +0.28 | 75% | 1588.7 | 77% | 2,126 |
| 2022/23 | 77% | 57% | 55.1 | +0.30 | 71% | 1560.8 | 72% | 2,147 |
| 2021/22 | 80% | 66% | 58.1 | +0.05 | 56% | 1517.2 | 57% | 2,148 |
| 2018/19 | 83% | 61% | 58.9 | +0.40 | 60% | 1563.9 | 65% | 2,102 |
| 2017/18 | 82% | 62% | 58.4 | +0.42 | 58% | 1568.0 | 64% | 2,084 |
| 2016/17 | 78% | 54% | 55.2 | +0.18 | 59% | — | 70% | 2,087 |
Sixth form — Key Stage 5
| Year | A-level APS | Avg grade | VA progress | AAB+ | Cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 40.0 | B | +0.19 | 20% | 333 |
| 2023/24 | 39.2 | B | +0.17 | 19% | 312 |
| 2022/23 | 38.4 | B | — | 17% | 329 |
| 2021/22 | 43.6 | B+ | — | 23% | 342 |
| 2018/19 | 38.2 | B- | +0.30 | 17% | 363 |
| 2017/18 | 37.4 | B- | +0.13 | 22% | 320 |
| 2016/17 | 39.0 | B | +0.24 | 20% | 322 |
Pupils & absence
| Year | Pupils | Pupil:teacher | SEN | EAL | FSM ever | Absence | Persistent absence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 2,119 | 15.9 | 19% | 6% | 12% | 7% | 18% |
| 2023/24 | 2,126 | 15.6 | 18% | 5% | 11% | 7% | 19% |
| 2022/23 | 2,147 | 15.8 | 18% | 4% | 11% | 8% | 21% |
| 2021/22 | 2,148 | 16.0 | 19% | 3% | 10% | 9% | 26% |
| 2020/21 | 2,144 | 15.9 | 20% | 3% | 7% | — | — |
| 2018/19 | 2,102 | 16.7 | 16% | 1% | 8% | 4% | 9% |
| 2017/18 | 2,084 | 16.9 | 13% | 1% | 9% | 4% | 10% |
| 2016/17 | 2,087 | 17.2 | 8% | 2% | 9% | 4% | 9% |
School performance data © Crown copyright. Source: Department for Education.