Schools by area › Hertfordshire › Fearnhill School
Fearnhill School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Foundation school
Icknield Way West, Letchworth SG6 4BA · fearnhill.herts.sch.uk · 01462 621200
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Apr 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 38.9
- average Attainment 8 score. Hertfordshire 50.6, England 46
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Year 7, September 2026 entry · Hertfordshire Council
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 597
- 57% of 1,055 places
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 40.2%
- First language not English
- 9.7%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, everyone who applied was offered a place. Source: Hertfordshire Council’s document.
For Year 7 in September 2026, 76 families put the school first and 86 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 86 | 76 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 109 | 96 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 114 | 110 | 1 | 94% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 109 | 83 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 112 | 107 | 1 | 100% |
Last distance offered
| Year 7 | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | All | |
| September 2023 | All | |
| September 2022 | All | |
| September 2025 | 8.31 mi13.38 km | |
| September 2024 | 1.71 mi2.75 km | |
Every applicant was offered a place (95 allocations for 120 places).
Every applicant was offered a place (15 children with no preference met were placed there).
Every applicant was offered a place (7 children with no preference met were placed there).
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 38.9, and 26.7% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Hertfordshire it was 50.6, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade D+ (24.7 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼38.9 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼26.7% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼53.3% | 64.8% | ||
| ●39.0% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.56 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 35.8 | −12.1 |
| Further education | 54.7 | +13.9 |
| Other education | 0.9 | — |
| Apprenticeship | 0.9 | — |
| Employment | 1.9 | — |
| Not in a lasting destination | 4.7 | −0.9 |
| Activity not captured | 0.9 | −4.7 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 students | D+ (24.7) | Below average -0.36 | |
| 19 students | D+ (24.7) | Below average -0.36 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 23 | C+ (33.6) | -0.17 |
| 2022/23 | 31 | C+ (32.1) | — |
| 2021/22 | 24 | B (41.1) | — |
| 2018/19 | 27 | C+ (31.7) | +0.34 |
| 2017/18 | 51 | C- (25) | -0.11 |
| 2016/17 | 44 | D+ (24.4) | -0.26 |
| 2015/16 | 54 | C- (27.2) | -0.06 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 60 | +5.2 |
| Apprenticeship | 4 | +0.8 |
| Employment | 32 | +3 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 4 | −5.7 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Fearnhill School on 21 April 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard
- Achievement: Expected standard
- Attendance and behaviour: Needs attention
- Personal development and well-being: Expected standard
- Post-16 provision: Expected standard
- Leadership and governance: Expected standard
- Inspected
- 21 Apr 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard |
| Achievement | Expected standard |
| Attendance and behaviour | Needs attention |
| Personal development and well-being | Expected standard |
| Post-16 provision | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Sept 2022
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Sept 2022Good
Quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth form Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Feb 2019Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective Jun 2015Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good 16 to 19 study programmes Good Sept 2013Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement
What parents said
74% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (77 replies, to 4 September 2023).
- Recommend
- 74%
- Replies
- 77
- 15% · 4 Sept 2023
based on the 77% who raised concerns
based on the 44% who had a child bullied
based on 29 parents (38%) with SEND