Foundation school · Hertfordshire

Fearnhill School

11–18Ages
597Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
117504URN

Icknield Way West, Letchworth, SG6 4BA · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Apr 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

3.0per place

close to Hertfordshire median (3.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Hertfordshire

254 applications for 86 places · 39th of 77 in Hertfordshire

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

37.5of 90

Hertfordshire 49.4 England 46.0

72nd of 78 in Hertfordshire

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 21 April 2026Published 7 June 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Expected standard	Needs attention
Inclusion		Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching		Expected standard
Achievement		Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour			Needs attention
Personal development and wellbeing		Expected standard
Early years	Does not apply to this school
Post-16 provision		Expected standard
Leadership and governance		Expected standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

21 April 2026
Report card · 6 Expected standard, 1 Needs attention
13 September 2022
Graded inspection: Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

3.0applications per place, Year 7

close to Hertfordshire median (3.0) 0.7 above England median (2.2)

254 applications · 86 places offered · 76 named it first

2026 3.0; Hertfordshire median median 3.0
2025 2.7; Hertfordshire median median 3.0
2024 3.0; Hertfordshire median median 3.1
2023 2.4; Hertfordshire median median 3.1
2022 2.5; Hertfordshire median median 3.0
2021 2.4; Hertfordshire median median 3.0
2020 2.7; Hertfordshire median median 3.1
2019 2.2; Hertfordshire median median 3.2
2018 3.5; Hertfordshire median median 3.3
2017 3.3; Hertfordshire median median 3.3
2016 4.0; Hertfordshire median median 3.4
2015 3.2; Hertfordshire median median 3.3
2014 2.9; Hertfordshire median median 3.4

This school
Hertfordshire median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	86	254	3.0	76	0.88
Sep 2025	109	293	2.7	96	0.88
Sep 2024	114	345	3.0	110	0.96
Sep 2023	109	264	2.4	83	0.76
Sep 2022	112	276	2.5	107	0.96
Sep 2021	110	259	2.4	81	0.74
Sep 2020	96	261	2.7	85	0.89
Sep 2019	126	278	2.2	86	0.68
Sep 2018	73	252	3.5	64	0.88
Sep 2017	65	217	3.3	58	0.89
Sep 2016	59	235	4.0	40	0.68
Sep 2015	62	195	3.2	38	0.61
Sep 2014	66	191	2.9	38	0.58

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

97 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)37.572nd of 78 in Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire 49.4 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths19%77th of 78 in Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire 51% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths37%

Hertfordshire 72% England 66%

This school
Hertfordshire median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.14

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	97	37.5	19%	37%	–
2024/25	105	38.9	27%	53%	–
2023/24	106	41.2	34%	54%	−0.14
2022/23	77	43.3	30%	64%	+0.27

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Fearnhill SchoolThis school
This school

2026

3.0applications per place 37.5Attainment 8
The Highfield School
0.9 km · Hertfordshire

Good2023

3.0applications per place 42.0Attainment 8
The Priory School
2.9 km · Hertfordshire

Remains Good2022

4.1applications per place 46.5Attainment 8
Hitchin Girls' School
3.5 km · Hertfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.1applications per place 61.8Attainment 8
Hitchin Boys' School
3.5 km · Hertfordshire

2025

2.0applications per place 56.8Attainment 8
The Knights Templar School
4.1 km · Hertfordshire

Remains Good2023

2.0applications per place 48.3Attainment 8
Pix Brook Academy
4.8 km · Central Bedfordshire

Good2024

44.6Attainment 8
Etonbury Academy
4.8 km · Central Bedfordshire

Standards maintained2025

45.8Attainment 8
Henlow Church of England Academy
6.7 km · Central Bedfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.1applications per place 41.0Attainment 8

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Foundation school
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 117504 · 919/4010
Trust: Letchworth Garden City Education Partnership
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,055 pupils · 597 on roll
Free school meals: 40.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Icknield Way West, Letchworth, SG6 4BA
Local authority: Hertfordshire · North Hertfordshire

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources