Academy sponsor led · Hertfordshire

Barclay Academy

11–18Ages
1,044Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
144623URN

Walkern Road, Stevenage, SG1 3RB · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Apr 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.7per place

0.2 below Hertfordshire median (3.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Hertfordshire

523 applications for 191 places · 47th of 77 in Hertfordshire

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

48.0of 90

Hertfordshire 49.4 England 46.0

46th of 78 in Hertfordshire

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 18 April 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding
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 entry

2.7applications per place, Year 7

0.2 below Hertfordshire median (3.0) 0.5 above England median (2.2)

523 applications · 191 places offered · 145 named it first

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 2.7; Hertfordshire median median 3.0
2025 2.5; Hertfordshire median median 3.0
2024 2.6; Hertfordshire median median 3.1
2023 2.0; Hertfordshire median median 3.1
2022 2.3; Hertfordshire median median 3.0
2021 2.0; Hertfordshire median median 3.0
2020 2.7; Hertfordshire median median 3.1
2018 1.9; Hertfordshire median median 3.3; as the previous school
2017 2.9; Hertfordshire median median 3.3; as the previous school
2016 3.8; Hertfordshire median median 3.4; as the previous school
2015 3.6; Hertfordshire median median 3.3; as the previous school
2014 3.6; Hertfordshire median median 3.4; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Hertfordshire median in 0 of 7 years.

This school
Hertfordshire median

Dashed bars: as Barclay School (URN 117515), the previous school.

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	191	523	2.7	145	0.76
Sep 2025	187	474	2.5	123	0.66
Sep 2024	183	482	2.6	132	0.72
Sep 2023	206	402	2.0	94	0.46
Sep 2022	165	382	2.3	87	0.53
Sep 2021	178	360	2.0	72	0.40
Sep 2020	107	284	2.7	64	0.60
Sep 2018 *	175	324	1.9	66	0.38
Sep 2017 *	122	357	2.9	61	0.50
Sep 2016 *	131	494	3.8	109	0.83
Sep 2015 *	147	531	3.6	100	0.68
Sep 2014 *	146	532	3.6	124	0.85

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

171 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)48.046th of 78 in Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire 49.4 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths49%45th of 78 in Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire 51% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths72%

Hertfordshire 72% England 66%

This school
Hertfordshire median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.17

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	171	48.0	49%	72%	–
2024/25	117	49.5	57%	74%	–
2023/24	123	48.4	54%	76%	+0.17
2022/23	125	46.2	50%	70%	−0.02

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

Barclay AcademyThis school
This school

Good2023

2.7applications per place 48.0Attainment 8
The Thomas Alleyne Academy
0.3 km · Hertfordshire

Standards maintained2024

3.0applications per place 44.9Attainment 8
The Saint John Henry Newman Catholic School
0.8 km · Hertfordshire

Remains Good · improving2024

2.6applications per place 55.7Attainment 8
Marriotts School
2.3 km · Hertfordshire

2026

3.0applications per place 41.8Attainment 8
The Nobel School
2.4 km · Hertfordshire

Remains Good2023

2.9applications per place 49.0Attainment 8
Barnwell School
3.5 km · Hertfordshire

2026

1.3applications per place 38.7Attainment 8
Hitchin Girls' School
5.8 km · Hertfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.1applications per place 61.8Attainment 8
The Highfield School
6.5 km · Hertfordshire

Good2023

3.0applications per place 42.0Attainment 8
Hitchin Boys' School
6.5 km · Hertfordshire

2025

2.0applications per place 56.8Attainment 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 sponsor led
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 144623 · 919/4026
Trust: Future Academies
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,181 pupils · 1,044 on roll
Free school meals: 23.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 February 2019
Replaced: Barclay School (URN 117515)
Address: Walkern Road, Stevenage, SG1 3RB
Local authority: Hertfordshire · Stevenage

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