Onslow St Audrey's School
108%
Capacity
807
Pupils
1.2x
Demand
About Onslow St Audrey's School
Onslow St Audrey's School is a mixed state secondary in Welwyn Hatfield, Hertfordshire, serving 807 pupils aged 11 to 18. It sits fourth out of five schools in the local authority when ranked by Progress 8, placing it in the bottom 80th percentile of its immediate peers. The top-performing schools in the area are Sandringham School, Yavneh College, and Dame Alice Owen's School, all of which achieve significantly higher Progress 8 scores. The nearest school rated Outstanding by Ofsted is Bishop's Hatfield Girls' School, just 0.4 kilometres away. Despite this competitive local landscape, Onslow St Audrey's has its own strengths, not least a recent improvement in its Ofsted rating. In its most recent graded inspection in December 2023, the school was judged Good overall, with Good marks across all five categories including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. This marks a clear step up from its previous inspection in 2019, when it was rated Requires Improvement.
Academically, the school's results are below the local average. Its Progress 8 score of -0.36 is well below the Hertfordshire average of 0.18, and the school is banded as 'Below average' nationally. Attainment 8 sits at 36.6, with 48.5% of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and 27.2% achieving a grade 5 or above. The EBacc entry rate is 30.1%, with 14.7% achieving the full EBacc at grade 4 or above. At sixth form, the picture is similar: the value added score is -0.5, also banded as 'Below average', with an average points per entry of 26.23, equivalent to a C- grade. The school has a small sixth form of 28 pupils, and 5.3% achieved AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects. These figures suggest the school is not currently matching the academic outcomes of its higher-ranked neighbours, though the recent Ofsted upgrade points to improving leadership and teaching quality.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, sports hall, theatre, science labs, and a sixth form centre. Sports provision includes rowing, swimming, hockey, and gymnastics, while extracurricular clubs cover gardening, coding, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, and Model United Nations. Onslow St Audrey's has a comprehensive SEND offer, supporting pupils with specific learning difficulties, autism, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 175 applications for 143 places and 72 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.22. With 31.5% of pupils eligible for free school meals, it serves a relatively disadvantaged intake. This school may suit families who value a broad curriculum and strong pastoral support over top-tier academic results, and who appreciate the recent Ofsted improvement and the convenience of an on-site sixth form.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Address | Old Rectory Drive, Hatfield, Welwyn Hatfield, AL10 8AB |
| Headteacher | Julie Jones |
| Local Authority | Hertfordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 807 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 31.5% |
| School Capacity | 807 / 750 (108% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
13 Dec 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 14 Feb 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.36)
2367th of 3,141
Nationally
273rd of 350
In East of England
4th of 5
In Welwyn Hatfield
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
32.8
'22/23
29.2
'23/24
26.2
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2339%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 145 pupils).
- FE college46%
- School sixth form (stay)39%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship2%
- Sixth form college1%
- Employment1%
90% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2348%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 48 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
6%
Russell Group
6%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)48%
- Employment29%
- Apprenticeship10%
- Not sustained6%
- Further education4%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Business Studies:Single18
- English Literature14
- Mathematics14
- Computer Studies / Computing12
- Physics10
- Art and Design (Graphics)8
- Art and Design7
- Geography6
- History4
- Art and Design (Photography)3
- Government and Politics3
- Sociology3
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed143
175
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
72 families put this school as their 1st choice (41% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:15
Source: onslow.herts.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White British46.6%
- White (other)14.9%
- Mixed8.0%
- Asian6.6%
- Black1.0%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
10
Total schools
9
Oversubscribed
7
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Onslow St Audrey's 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
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Old Rectory Drive, Hatfield
Welwyn Hatfield, AL10 8AB
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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