The Astley Cooper School
90%
Capacity
947
Pupils
1.6x
Demand
About The Astley Cooper School
The Astley Cooper School, a mixed state secondary in Dacorum, Hertfordshire, was rated Good overall in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2021, a rating it has held consistently across both its recent inspections. The school’s Progress 8 score, the key measure of pupil progress from Key Stage 2 to GCSE, stands at -0.6, placing it well below the national average. This is a significant gap compared with the Hertfordshire local authority average of 0.18, and it ranks the school 70th out of 86 secondary schools in the county. Within Dacorum itself, the school sits 8th out of 9 schools on this metric. The Attainment 8 score, which measures average GCSE results across eight subjects, is 37.2, and just under half of pupils (48.8%) achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. Only 7.7% of pupils entered the English Baccalaureate and achieved a grade 5 or above in it.
At A-level, the school’s sixth form, which is rated Good by Ofsted, had 30 students in the most recent data. The average points per entry was 23.56, equivalent to a D+ grade, and the best three A-levels averaged a D+ as well. The value added score for the sixth form was -0.16, which is banded as Average, meaning students’ progress was broadly in line with expectations. No students achieved AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects. The school’s Progress 8 banding of Well below average, combined with its low EBacc entry rate of 17.9%, suggests that academic outcomes are a key area of focus for the leadership team, particularly in comparison with the strong-performing peers in the local area like Sandringham School and Yavneh College.
The school is oversubscribed for Year 7 entry in 2025/26, with 262 applications for 165 places, and 123 first-preference offers made. It serves a community with a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 33.6%, well above the national average. Facilities include a swimming pool, gymnasium, playing fields, science labs, and a sixth form centre. The school offers a wide range of sports from rowing to hockey, and clubs including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model UN, and coding. Its SEND provisions cover nine areas, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. The Astley Cooper School is likely to suit families who value a broad extracurricular offer and a supportive SEND framework, and who are comfortable with a school where academic results are below the local average but where the sixth form provides a solid, average-value-added pathway.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | St Agnell's Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Dacorum, HP2 7HL |
| Headteacher | Sam Orsborne |
| Local Authority | Hertfordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 947 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 33.6% |
| School Capacity | 947 / 1,055 (90% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
17 Nov 2021Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 16 Jan 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.60)
2731st of 3,141
Nationally
310th of 350
In East of England
8th of 9
In Dacorum
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly 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
21.7
'22/23
17.3
'23/24
23.6
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
2022/2341%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 102 pupils).
- FE college42%
- School sixth form (stay)41%
- Employment9%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship2%
94% 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
2022/2342%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 19 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
0%
Russell Group
0%
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)42%
- Employment37%
- Not sustained16%
- Apprenticeship5%
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- Geography10
- Biology9
- English Literature3
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
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed165
262
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
123 families put this school as their 1st choice (47% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
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.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British63.1%
- White (other)11.6%
- Mixed8.9%
- Asian5.0%
- Black0.3%
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.
9
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
8
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 The Astley Cooper 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
St Agnell's Lane, Hemel Hempstead
Dacorum, HP2 7HL
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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