Friern Barnet School
About Friern Barnet School
Friern Barnet School sits in the London borough of Barnet, a local authority packed with 32 secondary schools and six rated Outstanding by Ofsted. The school itself ranks 27th in the borough on Progress 8, placing it behind high-performing neighbours such as Menorah High School for Girls, The Totteridge Academy, and Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet. For context, the nearest Outstanding-rated school, The Compton School, is less than a kilometre away. Friern Barnet is a state-funded, mixed secondary for pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form. It is led by headteacher Simon Horne and currently has 641 pupils on roll against a capacity of 810. The school is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 academic year, it received 270 applications for 146 places, with only 29 first-preference offers made. More than a third of its pupils (37.4%) are eligible for free school meals, a figure well above the national average and a key indicator of the community it serves.
Key Details
The full report on this school
The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
21 Feb 2024Latest monitoring visit (21 Feb 2024): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 22 Nov 2018. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
20Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Friern Barnet School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
School Admissions Timeline 2026/27
Key dates for primary, secondary and nursery applications