The Grange Academy

About The Grange Academy

The Grange Academy sits within Hertfordshire’s large secondary school landscape, where 26 of 86 schools hold an Outstanding rating. The school itself is rated Good, placing it in the solid middle tier of provision locally. Among its Hertfordshire peers, the top performers by ranking score are Sandringham School (1.06), Yavneh College (0.97), and Dame Alice Owen’s School (0.92) — all Outstanding-rated schools that set a high benchmark in the area. The nearest Outstanding school geographically is Watford Grammar School for Girls, just two kilometres away. For families in Hertsmere, The Grange Academy offers a co-educational, all-through secondary option with a sixth form, led by headteacher Aziza Ajak. With 934 pupils on roll, it is a reasonably sized state school that serves a local rather than selective intake, making it a realistic choice for families who want a Good-rated school without the competition for places that often accompanies the top-performing grammars and faith schools nearby.

Academically, The Grange Academy’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022 rated it Good across every category: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This marks a clear improvement from its previous inspection in 2015, when the school was judged Requires Improvement overall, with leadership and management rated as Requires Improvement too. The school does not publish Progress 8 or Attainment 8 data in this profile, so it is not possible to compare its headline academic performance against the Hertfordshire local authority average Progress 8 score of 0.18. However, the Ofsted report notes that behaviour and attitudes are now Good, which suggests a stable and orderly environment for learning. The sixth form provision was not separately graded in the 2022 inspection, so parents considering post-16 options may want to investigate outcomes for A-level students directly. The school’s improvement trajectory from Requires Improvement to Good across all areas is a positive sign for families looking for a school that has addressed previous weaknesses.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a library, dining hall, sixth form centre, astro turf, tennis courts, science labs, art studios, music rooms, and a sports hall. Sports provision covers dance, rounders, tennis, netball, basketball, badminton, rowing, and gymnastics, while extracurricular clubs include drama, chess, art club, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, eco club, and choir. These offerings suggest a school that values both academic and personal development, though specific SEND provision details are not available in this data. The school is likely to suit families in the Hertsmere area who want a Good-rated, mixed secondary with a sixth form and a reasonable range of enrichment activities, without the selective admissions criteria of nearby Outstanding schools. Given its improvement journey and Good rating, it may appeal particularly to parents who prioritise a stable, inclusive environment over the highest academic rankings.

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