Samuel Ryder Academy

Samuel Ryder Academy is a large all-through school, part of Scholars' Education Trust, and it performs well overall. Inspectors found a harmonious, highly inclusive community where pupils enjoy attending, behave remarkably well and achieve above national averages in many national examinations. Attendance and persistent absence are notably better than national figures, and the curriculum, early years provision, inclusion, leadership and personal development are all strengths. Safeguarding standards are met. Most pupils, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, are well prepared for the next stage. However, achievement and post-16 provision are not yet as strong as the school’s best areas. Leaders have identified that key stage 2 handwriting is not at the expected standard, that outcomes for high prior attainers need to improve further, and that sixth-form students’ synoptic learning and depth of response need development so A-level results rise above national averages and are sustained. These are clear next steps rather than urgent concerns.

Strengths

• Pupils enjoy attending school and attendance is above national rates.
• Persistent absence has been successfully reduced.
• Pupils behave remarkably well with almost no low-level disruption.
• The curriculum is well designed and continually refined from early years to post-16.
• Oracy provision is notable and shared nationally.
• Early years provision is high quality with strong language and vocabulary development.
• Inclusion is highly effective, with well-targeted support for SEND and disadvantaged pupils.
• Leaders have created an impressive climate of mutual support and respect.
• Governance and trust oversight hold leaders to account effectively.
• Personal development and extra-curricular provision are comprehensive and inspirational.
• Careers education, information, advice and guidance are comprehensive and well targeted.
• Sixth-form students benefit from a broad curriculum and strong enrichment opportunities.
• Safeguarding standards are met and pupils feel safe.

Areas for Improvement

• Key stage 2 pupils' handwriting is not yet at the expected standard.
• Outcomes for high prior attainers need further strengthening.
• Sixth-form students' synoptic learning and depth of response require development.
• A-level outcomes are broadly in line with national averages rather than consistently above them.

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 Samuel Ryder Academy attended 93.1% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 21.2% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

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, 3.6% of pupils at Samuel Ryder Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was 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 Samuel Ryder Academy had 17.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.3% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

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, 13.6% of pupils at Samuel Ryder Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Samuel Ryder Academy received £7,367 and spent £7,446 for each of its 1,577 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £2,161,000 (£1,370 per pupil).

Across all 12 schools of Scholars' Education Trust, income was £7,571 and spending £7,610 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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

Samuel Ryder Academy is part of Scholars' Education Trust, which runs 13 schools. The nearest others:

• Harpenden Academy Harpenden
• Longdean School Hemel Hempstead
• Sir John Lawes School Harpenden
• The Hemel Hempstead School Hemel Hempstead
• Oakleaf Primary Hemel Hempstead
• Robert Barclay Academy Hoddesdon
• Watling Lower School Dunstable
• Priory Academy Dunstable
• Dunstable Icknield Lower School Dunstable
• Nazeing Primary School Waltham Abbey

What is Samuel Ryder Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Samuel Ryder Academy is Expected standard, from an inspection in July 2026.

When was Samuel Ryder Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Samuel Ryder Academy was last inspected in July 2026.

How many pupils does Samuel Ryder Academy have?

Samuel Ryder Academy has 1,577 pupils on roll.

What age range does Samuel Ryder Academy cover?

Samuel Ryder Academy for pupils aged 4 to 19.

What are Samuel Ryder Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 52.4, and 51% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

What are Samuel Ryder Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Samuel Ryder Academy?

Samuel Ryder Academy is at Drakes Drive, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 5AR.