OFSTED
28 February 2024
Latest graded inspection
Latest published outcome
Good
OEIF
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour & attitudes
Good
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership & management
Good
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Free schools
Phase
Secondary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
—
Local authority
Hertfordshire
Trust
HARPENDEN SECONDARY EDUCATION TRUST
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
1,113
1,113 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
500
44.9% of pupils
Male pupils
613
55.1% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
12.2 pts
below England
School
12.6%
St Albans
10.0%
East of England
19.7%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
12.8 pts
below England
School
7.5%
St Albans
15.9%
East of England
16.4%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
0.6 pts
below England
School
0.4%
St Albans
1.0%
East of England
1.7%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
71.9%
800
Any other White background
5.2%
58
Any other Mixed background
4.1%
46
African
2.6%
29
White and Black Caribbean
2.6%
29
Pakistani
2.2%
24
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
19.4%
216 of
1,113 pupils
1.4 pts
below England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
0.7 pts
below
England
6.0%
0.7 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
54.8
15.6 pts
above England
Latest published: 0.48 · 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
7.46%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
1.25 pts
higher than
England
School
7.46%
St Albans
5.63%
East of England
6.17%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
16.49%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
0.67 pts
higher than
England
School
16.49%
St Albans
12.95%
East of England
15.39%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
3.17%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
1.37 pts
higher than
England
School
3.17%
St Albans
1.63%
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.