OFSTED
28 April 2026
Latest inspection
Latest published outcome
Met
Renewed framework
Safeguarding
Met
Inclusion
Expected standard
Curriculum & teaching
Needs attention
Achievement
Needs attention
Attendance & behaviour
Needs attention
Personal development
Needs attention
Leadership & governance
Needs attention
INSPECTION HISTORY
Previous Ofsted activity
17 November 2021
Graded inspection
Good
Published
16 January 2022
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Community school
Phase
Secondary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Does not apply
Local authority
Hertfordshire
Trust
Not applicable
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
914
914 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
445
48.7% of pupils
Male pupils
469
51.3% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
8.4 pts
above England
School
33.2%
Dacorum
16.4%
East of England
19.7%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
2.7 pts
below England
School
17.6%
Dacorum
13.0%
East of England
16.4%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
1.4 pts
above England
School
2.4%
Dacorum
0.8%
East of England
1.7%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
60.8%
556
Any other White background
12.0%
110
African
7.4%
68
Any other Asian background
2.8%
26
White and Asian
2.4%
22
White and Black African
2.4%
22
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
32.8%
300 of
914 pupils
12.0 pts
above England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
13.3 pts
above
England
6.0%
1.3 pts
below
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
2024/25
Key stage 4 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.
ATTAINMENT 8
Average attainment score
34.7
4.5 pts
below England
Latest published: -0.60 · 2023/24
Comparisons are averages of published school-level results for open schools. They are not pupil-weighted official local authority attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
13.65%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
7.43 pts
higher than
England
School
13.65%
Dacorum
6.27%
East of England
6.17%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
39.21%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
23.40 pts
higher than
England
School
39.21%
Dacorum
16.01%
East of England
15.39%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
8.43%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
6.62 pts
higher than
England
School
8.43%
Dacorum
2.02%
East of England
1.83%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open secondary schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
86.6%
5.7 pts
below England
The Astley Cooper School
86.6%
Dacorum
94.9%
East of England
92.9%
England
92.3%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.