Bernards Heath Junior School

Bernards Heath Junior School has been rated as 'Good' overall in its recent inspection, with notable strengths in behaviour, attitudes, and personal development which are considered 'Outstanding'. The school provides a nurturing environment where pupils thrive and show exemplary behaviour. The curriculum is well-established in most areas, helping pupils to achieve good progress in their learning, especially in reading, where strong support is provided for those needing additional help. This inspection marks the first routine assessment since a significant period of exemption from inspections, providing a fresh perspective on the school's performance since its last 'Outstanding' rating 14 years ago.

Strengths

• Pupils show exemplary behaviour and high levels of maturity.
• Strong support provided for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
• Reading is a central focus, with effective strategies to develop pupils' skills.
• Positive relationships between staff and pupils enhance the learning environment.
• Extensive opportunities for personal development through clubs and activities.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum plans in a few areas do not detail progression adequately.
• Assessment practices in some foundation subjects could be improved.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Bernards Heath Junior School attended 95.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.2% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.3% of pupils at Bernards Heath Junior School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Bernards Heath Junior School had 26.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.1% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 9.6% of pupils at Bernards Heath Junior School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.4% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Bernards Heath Junior School received £6,510 and spent £6,444 for each of its 353 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £139,000 (£393 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in St Albans · Hertfordshire local authority: places and applications

What is Bernards Heath Junior School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Bernards Heath Junior School is Good, from an inspection in January 2024.

When was Bernards Heath Junior School last inspected by Ofsted?

Bernards Heath Junior School was last inspected in January 2024.

How many pupils does Bernards Heath Junior School have?

Bernards Heath Junior School has 353 pupils on roll.

What age range does Bernards Heath Junior School cover?

Bernards Heath Junior School for pupils aged 7 to 11.

What are Bernards Heath Junior School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Bernards Heath Junior School?

Bernards Heath Junior School is at Watson Avenue, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 5HP.