Graded inspection · Feb 2024 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 | Outstanding | |||
| Leadership and management | 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 entry631 applications · 165 places offered · 139 named it first
- 2026 3.8; Hertfordshire median median 3.0
- 2025 3.9; Hertfordshire median median 3.0
- 2024 4.3; Hertfordshire median median 3.1
- 2023 4.5; Hertfordshire median median 3.1
- 2022 4.1; Hertfordshire median median 3.0
- 2021 4.3; Hertfordshire median median 3.0
- 2020 3.4; Hertfordshire median median 3.1
- 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 | 165 | 631 | 3.8 | 139 | 0.84 |
| Sep 2025 | 164 | 640 | 3.9 | 136 | 0.83 |
| Sep 2024 | 171 | 742 | 4.3 | 172 | 1.01 |
| Sep 2023 | 180 | 816 | 4.5 | 220 | 1.22 |
| Sep 2022 | 204 | 841 | 4.1 | 214 | 1.05 |
| Sep 2021 | 175 | 753 | 4.3 | 208 | 1.19 |
| Sep 2020 | 174 | 587 | 3.4 | 148 | 0.85 |
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.) | 175 | 50.6 | 55% | 71% | – |
| 2024/25 | 173 | 54.8 | 60% | 76% | – |
| 2023/24 | 175 | 54.0 | 58% | 75% | +0.48 |
| 2022/23 | 1 | – |
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
- Katherine Warington SchoolThis schoolThis schoolGood20243.8applications per place 50.6Attainment 8
- 0.9 km · HertfordshireOutstanding20234.0applications per place 63.9Attainment 8
- 1.5 km · HertfordshireGraded · no overall grade20253.4applications per place 65.6Attainment 8
- 2.8 km · HertfordshireOutstanding20233.7applications per place 59.1Attainment 8
- 5.5 km · HertfordshireRemains Good20241.7applications per place 43.9Attainment 8
- 5.9 km · HertfordshireGraded · no overall grade20243.1applications per place 60.7Attainment 8
- 6.0 km · HertfordshireOutstanding20244.3applications per place 65.7Attainment 8
- 7.3 km · LutonGood20232.9applications per place 52.4Attainment 8
- 7.6 km · HertfordshireRemains Good20242.4applications per place 54.4Attainment 8
School details
- Type
- Free schools
- Phase
- Secondary
- URN · DfE number
- 145890 · 919/4030
- Trust
- Harpenden Secondary Education Trust
- Free school meals
- 13.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
- Opened
- 2 September 2019
- Address
- Lower Luton Road, Harpenden, AL5 5FH
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire · St Albans
Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources