Harpenden Academy

Harpenden Academy has shown significant improvement since its last inspection, providing a nurturing environment where pupils excel academically and personally. The school emphasizes high expectations for all students, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), ensuring they can learn alongside their peers. The curriculum is ambitious and thoughtfully designed to develop foundational skills in reading, writing, and mathematics, fostering a love for learning among pupils. Additionally, the school values diversity and instills a sense of respect and responsibility in its community, preparing pupils well for their transition to secondary education.

Strengths

• Nurturing and vibrant environment
• Strong belief in every pupil's ability to succeed
• Tailored support for pupils with SEND
• Ambitious curriculum promoting academic excellence
• Celebration of diversity within the school community
• Strong relationships between staff and pupils
• Impressive pupil behaviour and respect
• Effective strategic leadership from governors and trust
• High-quality training and support for staff

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 Harpenden Academy attended 96.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.6% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Harpenden Academy 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 Harpenden Academy had 22.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 33.3% 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, 9.7% of pupils at Harpenden Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.8% 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 2024–25 Harpenden Academy received £6,715 and spent £6,412 for each of its 215 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £202,000 (£938 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 Harpenden · Hertfordshire local authority: places and applications

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

• Sir John Lawes School Harpenden
• Samuel Ryder Academy St Albans
• Longdean School Hemel Hempstead
• The Hemel Hempstead School Hemel Hempstead
• Oakleaf Primary Hemel Hempstead
• Watling Lower School Dunstable
• Priory Academy Dunstable
• Dunstable Icknield Lower School Dunstable
• The Highfield School Letchworth Garden City
• Robert Barclay Academy Hoddesdon

What is Harpenden Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Harpenden Academy is Good, from an inspection in March 2025.

When was Harpenden Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Harpenden Academy was last inspected in March 2025.

How many pupils does Harpenden Academy have?

Harpenden Academy has 216 pupils on roll.

What age range does Harpenden Academy cover?

Harpenden Academy for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Harpenden Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 81% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Harpenden Academy?

Harpenden Academy is at 25 Vaughan Road, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 4EL.