4 secondary schools in Harpenden, sorted by latest
Ofsted grade. Grades come from two inspection systems; each school page states
which, and the guide explains the
difference. A grade shown with a year, like "Good (2019)", is the last one
Ofsted published for that school and sorts below current grades. We don't
invent rankings.
Harpenden in figures
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.