Schools by area › Hertfordshire › Harpenden Academy
Harpenden Academy
Primary · Mixed · Ages 4–11 · Free school
25 Vaughan Road, Harpenden AL5 4EL · harpendenacademy.co.uk · 01582 716910
Overview
- Ofsted
- Improved significantly
- Ungraded inspection · Feb 2025
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 81%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Hertfordshire 64%, England 62%
- Last distance offered
- 5.57 mi
- 8.96 km · Reception, September 2026 entry · Not Nearest School · Hertfordshire Council
- Demand for places
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 216
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire
- Nursery class
- No
- Free school meals
- 5.1%
- First language not English
- 18.1%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, the last place offered under “Not Nearest School” went to a home 5.57 mi (8.96 km) from the school; in September 2025 it was 14.83 mi (23.86 km). Source: Hertfordshire Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 30 families put the school first and 30 places were offered; 77% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 30 | 30 | 1 | 77% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 29 | 25 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 27 | 25 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 30 | 28 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 29 | 24 | 0.8 | 100% |
Last distance offered
| Reception | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 5.57 mi8.96 km | |
| September 2025 | 14.83 mi23.86 km | |
| September 2024 | All | |
| September 2022 | All | |
Every applicant was offered a place (28 allocations for 30 places).
Every applicant was offered a place (30 allocations for 60 places).
Results
In 2024/25, 81% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 19% the higher standard. Across Hertfordshire it was 64%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲81% | 62% | ||
| ▲19% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▲110 | 106 | ||
| ●106 | 105 | ||
| ▲111 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
At an ungraded inspection on 5 February 2025, Ofsted’s outcome for Harpenden Academy was: Improved significantly.
- Outcome
- Improved significantly
- Inspected
- 4 Feb 2025
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Jun 2019
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 138561), which Ofsted links to this one.
Before September 2019
Jun 2019Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Outstanding Early years Good Safeguarding Effective Sept 2015Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 138561)
What parents said
90% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (105 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 90%
- Replies
- 105
- 49% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 70% who raised concerns
based on the 27% who had a child bullied
based on 15 parents (14%) with SEND