Sir John Lawes School

About Sir John Lawes School

Sir John Lawes School sits in Hertfordshire, a local authority with 86 state secondary schools, and ranks 4th among the 12 secondaries in St Albans by Progress 8 score. That puts it in the top third of its immediate area, though it sits behind three strong local peers: Sandringham School, Yavneh College, and Dame Alice Owen's School, which all post higher Progress 8 scores. The school is also 6th overall in the LA when all secondaries are considered, and 21st in the East of England region out of 350 schools. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 awarded the top grade of Outstanding across every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision — matching the Outstanding rating it held in its previous inspection back in 2008. With 1,356 pupils against a capacity of 1,200, the school is clearly popular, and its 8.9 per cent pupil premium rate is below the national average, suggesting a relatively affluent intake.

Academically, Sir John Lawes delivers results that comfortably exceed both local and national benchmarks. Its Progress 8 score of 0.79 is rated 'well above average' and towers over the Hertfordshire LA average of 0.18, meaning pupils here make nearly a grade more progress per subject than the typical student in the county. The Attainment 8 score sits at 62.3, and 88.9 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, with 76.4 per cent reaching the higher grade 5 threshold. The EBacc average point score is 5.6, and 45.2 per cent of pupils entered the EBacc combination of subjects. At A-level, the school's value-added score of 0.14 is rated 'above average', with students averaging a B grade per entry (40.84 points) and 25.2 per cent achieving at least AAB in two facilitating subjects. The best three A-levels average out at a B+ grade, and the sixth form is graded Outstanding in its own right.

The school offers a broad set of facilities including a sixth-form centre, library, swimming pool, astro turf, music rooms, and a sports hall, with sports ranging from rowing and rugby to martial arts and gymnastics. Clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Model UN, orchestra, and eco club, among others. Sir John Lawes has a wide-ranging SEND offer, supporting pupils with dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional needs, speech and language challenges, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. Admission for 2025/26 was heavily oversubscribed: 704 applications for 183 places, with 256 first-preference applications and 175 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.85. This is a school that suits families looking for strong academic outcomes in a well-resourced, high-demand setting, particularly those who value a sixth form with a proven track record.

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