OFSTED
5 December 2023
Latest graded inspection
Latest published outcome
Outstanding
OEIF
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour & attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership & management
Outstanding
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
—
Local authority
Hertfordshire
Trust
DAME ALICE OWEN'S SCHOOL
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
1,467
1,467 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
748
51.0% of pupils
Male pupils
719
49.0% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
21.2 pts
below England
School
3.6%
Hertsmere
11.9%
East of England
19.7%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
13.2 pts
below England
School
7.1%
Hertsmere
15.3%
East of England
16.4%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
0.3 pts
above England
School
1.3%
Hertsmere
0.7%
East of England
1.7%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
36.5%
535
Indian
14.5%
213
Any other White background
12.1%
178
White and Asian
6.5%
96
Any other Mixed background
5.7%
84
Chinese
5.2%
77
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
13.3%
195 of
1,467 pupils
7.5 pts
below England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
5.0 pts
below
England
6.0%
2.6 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
72.9
33.7 pts
above England
Latest published: 0.92 · 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
4.04%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
2.18 pts
lower than
England
School
4.04%
Hertsmere
7.53%
East of England
6.17%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
7.04%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
8.78 pts
lower than
England
School
7.04%
Hertsmere
18.64%
East of England
15.39%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
0.59%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
1.21 pts
lower than
England
School
0.59%
Hertsmere
2.80%
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
103.6%
11.3 pts
above England
Dame Alice Owen's School
103.6%
Hertsmere
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.