School admissions in Harpenden
How heavily each school was applied to for September 2026 entry, from the applications and offers every admissions authority reports to the DfE. 12 of these schools also have a published admissions cutoff distance. Sorted by first preferences per place. We don't invent rankings: the order is arithmetic on a published figure, not a view about which school is better.
Harpenden in figures
For Reception places in September 2026, families named the 11 schools in Harpenden first 465 times for 425 places: 1.09 first choices per place, against 1.00 across the Hertfordshire authority's 364 schools. 6 of the 11 had more first choices than places. For 2026 entry, 6 schools here gave their last places on distance, from 0.35 miles (Manland Primary School) to 5.57 miles (Harpenden Academy).
For Year 7 places in September 2026, families named the 4 schools in Harpenden first 852 times for 709 places: 1.20 first choices per place, against 1.03 across the Hertfordshire authority's 78 schools. 3 of the 4 had more first choices than places. For 2021 entry, one school here gave its last places on distance: Sir John Lawes School, to 5.07 miles.
Totals for the schools listed on this page. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE; last-offer distances as the council published them.
Reception places, September 2026
11 schools. 6 received more first preferences than they had places.
| School | First preferences per place | Places | Cutoff distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manland Primary School | 1.37 | 30 | 568.7 m (≈0.35 mi) |
| The Lea Primary School and Nursery | 1.33 | 30 | 863.44 m (≈0.54 mi) |
| Crabtree Infants' School | 1.27 | 60 | 612.22 m (≈0.38 mi) |
| Wood End School | 1.27 | 60 | 2756.15 m (≈1.71 mi) |
| High Beeches Primary School | 1.05 | 60 | 1223.18 m (≈0.76 mi) |
| St Dominic Catholic Primary School | 1.03 | 30 | not published |
| Harpenden Academy | 1.00 | 30 | 8964.75 m (≈5.57 mi) |
| Roundwood Primary School | 0.97 | 30 | 2623.11 m (≈1.63 mi) |
| St Nicholas CofE VA Primary School | 0.95 | 19 | not published |
| The Grove Infant and Nursery School | 0.86 | 59 | 3800.71 m (≈2.36 mi) |
| Sauncey Wood Primary School | 0.59 | 17 | not published |
First preferences per place is the number of families naming the school first, divided by its published admission number. Above 1.00 means more first choices than places. It is not a ranking and not a measure of quality: a popular school can be easy to get into and a quiet one hard, because places are allocated by each school's own criteria, siblings and faith and banding first, with distance often the last tie-breaker. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE.
Year 7 places, September 2026
4 schools. 3 received more first preferences than they had places.
| School | First preferences per place | Places | Cutoff distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sir John Lawes School | 1.39 | 187 | 8154.65 m (≈5.07 mi) |
| St George's School | 1.38 | 170 | not published |
| Roundwood Park School | 1.17 | 187 | not published |
| Katherine Warington School | 0.84 | 165 | 8218.31 m (≈5.11 mi) |
First preferences per place is the number of families naming the school first, divided by its published admission number. Above 1.00 means more first choices than places. It is not a ranking and not a measure of quality: a popular school can be easy to get into and a quiet one hard, because places are allocated by each school's own criteria, siblings and faith and banding first, with distance often the last tie-breaker. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE.