Graded inspection · Feb 2025 Previous framework
- Quality of education
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Personal development
- Leadership and management
This schoolOther secondary schools in Hertfordshire
What did Ofsted find?
Ofsted data to 30 September 2026| Area | Outstanding | Good | Requires improvement | Inadequate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good | |||
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good | |||
| Personal development | Good | |||
| Leadership and management | Good | |||
| Sixth form provision | 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 entry212 applications · 209 places offered · 165 named it first
- 2026 1.0; Hertfordshire median median 3.0
- 2025 0.8; Hertfordshire median median 3.0
- 2024 1.0; Hertfordshire median median 3.1
- 2023 0.9; Hertfordshire median median 3.1
- 2022 0.9; Hertfordshire median median 3.0
- 2021 0.9; Hertfordshire median median 3.0
- 2020 1.0; Hertfordshire median median 3.1
- 2019 0.9; Hertfordshire median median 3.2
- 2018 1.1; Hertfordshire median median 3.3
- 2017 1.2; Hertfordshire median median 3.3
- 2016 1.3; Hertfordshire median median 3.4
- 2015 1.2; Hertfordshire median median 3.3
- 2014 1.0; 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 | 209 | 212 | 1.0 | 165 | 0.79 |
| Sep 2025 | 206 | 167 | 0.8 | 120 | 0.58 |
| Sep 2024 | 192 | 183 | 1.0 | 134 | 0.70 |
| Sep 2023 | 235 | 200 | 0.9 | 143 | 0.61 |
| Sep 2022 | 235 | 222 | 0.9 | 148 | 0.63 |
| Sep 2021 | 248 | 225 | 0.9 | 157 | 0.63 |
| Sep 2020 | 269 | 272 | 1.0 | 188 | 0.70 |
| Sep 2019 | 291 | 263 | 0.9 | 176 | 0.60 |
| Sep 2018 | 278 | 315 | 1.1 | 195 | 0.70 |
| Sep 2017 | 247 | 302 | 1.2 | 197 | 0.80 |
| Sep 2016 | 201 | 260 | 1.3 | 164 | 0.82 |
| Sep 2015 | 245 | 293 | 1.2 | 179 | 0.73 |
| Sep 2014 | 217 | 226 | 1.0 | 161 | 0.74 |
How did pupils do at GCSE?
DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisionalEvery year as a table
| Year | Pupils | Attainment 8 | 5+ Eng & maths | 4+ Eng & maths | Progress 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (prov.) | 181 | 35.4 | 29% | 51% | – |
| 2024/25 | 223 | 38.3 | 27% | 50% | – |
| 2023/24 | 201 | 38.9 | 28% | 53% | −0.19 |
| 2022/23 | 218 | 39.5 | 36% | 48% | −0.34 |
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
- Hertswood AcademyThis schoolThis schoolGraded · no overall grade20251.0applications per place 35.4Attainment 8
- 0.7 km · HertfordshireGraded · no overall grade202533.2Attainment 8
- 1.4 km · HertfordshireGood20232.1applications per place 59.5Attainment 8
- 3.9 km · Barnet20264.0applications per place 87.1Attainment 8 Selective
- 4.3 km · Barnet20254.1applications per place 60.8Attainment 8
- 4.9 km · HertfordshireOutstanding20234.0applications per place 73.6Attainment 8
- 5.0 km · BarnetGood20232.8applications per place 52.9Attainment 8
- 5.1 km · Barnet20263.0applications per place 61.2Attainment 8
- 5.5 km · Barnet20255.4applications per place 60.9Attainment 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
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Secondary
- URN · DfE number
- 138747 · 919/4001
- Trust
- Hertswood Academy
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Capacity
- 1,861 pupils · 1,144 on roll
- Free school meals
- 33.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
- Opened
- 1 September 2012
- Replaced
- Hertswood School (URN 131971)
- Address
- Cowley Hill, Borehamwood, WD6 5LG
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire · Hertsmere
Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources