Harpenden Academy

About Harpenden Academy

Harpenden Academy is a state primary school in St Albans for children aged 4 to 11, and it is currently a popular choice among local families. The school has capacity for 214 pupils, and in the 2025/26 admissions round it received 86 applications for just 29 places, making it significantly oversubscribed with a ratio of nearly three applicants per place. Of those, 25 families put it as their first preference, and all 25 received an offer. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 6.5%, which is notably lower than the national average, suggesting the school draws from a relatively affluent catchment area. The school has no religious character and is led by headteacher Lisa Davies. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in February 2025, found that the school had improved significantly since its previous graded inspection, and it now holds a Good rating overall, with leadership and management judged Outstanding.

Academically, Harpenden Academy performs well above the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 82% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Hertfordshire average of 64%. This places the school 14th out of 40 primary schools in St Albans and in the top 10% nationally. Pupils also achieved strong average scores of 108 in both reading and maths, and 94% met the expected standard in maths specifically. At the higher standard, 12% of pupils achieved the top marks across all three subjects, with 48% reaching that level in reading. The school’s overall ranking score of 82 puts it among the top-performing primaries in the East of England, sitting 112th out of 1,612 schools in the region. While progress scores are not available in the data, the attainment figures alone paint a picture of a school where most children are meeting or exceeding expectations.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a library, gymnasium, art studios and a sensory room, and pupils can take part in sports such as football, netball, swimming and rounders, plus clubs like science, gardening and eco club. For children with additional needs, the school provides support for a broad spectrum of SEND, including dyslexia, speech and language difficulties, autistic spectrum disorder and social, emotional and mental health needs. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: 90% of respondents would recommend the school, and 95% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy there. However, the SEND support question drew a more mixed response, with 27% of parents disagreeing that needs are met properly. The school is oversubscribed, so families applying from outside the immediate catchment should be prepared for competition. It suits families who prioritise strong academic outcomes and a wide range of enrichment activities within a well-led, Good-rated primary.

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