The Adeyfield Academy

About The Adeyfield Academy

The Adeyfield Academy is a mixed state secondary school in Dacorum, Hertfordshire, that serves 817 pupils aged 11 to 18. Within its local authority, it sits at the lower end of the performance table, ranking 72nd out of 86 same-type schools when measured by Progress 8. For context, the top-performing peers in the area are Sandringham School, Yavneh College, and Dame Alice Owen's School, all of which post significantly higher scores. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it Good across all five categories — overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and sixth-form provision. This marks a notable improvement from its previous inspection in 2018, when it was judged Inadequate overall. Under headteacher Dawn Mason, the school has clearly stabilised and raised its game, though the academic data suggests there is still ground to make up compared with the local average.

Academically, the school's 2023/24 GCSE results paint a challenging picture. Its Progress 8 score of -0.97 is well below average and significantly lower than the Hertfordshire LA average of 0.18. Pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 29.2, and just 32% secured a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, with only 17% reaching grade 5 or above. The EBacc entry rate was 31%, but only 10% of pupils achieved the EBacc at grade 4 or above. In the sixth form, the picture is similarly mixed: with just 16 pupils in the cohort, the average points per entry was 25 (equivalent to a C-), and the value-added score of -0.53 is rated below average. The school's ranking in the East of England places it in the bottom 5% of schools nationally by Progress 8, and it sits at the very bottom of Dacorum's nine secondary schools.

On the ground, the school offers a surprisingly broad range of facilities for a school of its size, including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, music rooms, and a dedicated sixth form centre. There are over a dozen clubs and sports on offer, from coding and chess to martial arts and Young Enterprise. The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 472 applications for 172 places and 157 first-preference offers made from 193 first-preference applications — a ratio of 2.74 applicants per place. It also provides support for a wide range of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. This is a school that has made real progress in behaviour and leadership since its 2018 low, and while its academic outcomes remain below the local norm, it may suit families who value a broad extracurricular offer and a supportive sixth form environment over top-tier exam results.

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