87%
GCSE 9–4 · 2024/25
76%
GCSE 5+ · 2024/25
62.8
Attainment 8 · 2024/25
52%
EBacc entry · 2024/25
1101.9
EBacc APS · 2024/25
1,356
Pupils · 2024/25
12%
EAL · 2024/25
7%
Persistent abs. · 2024/25
Ofsted inspection
Outstanding
Ofsted inspection · 28/03/2023
Inadequate
Requires improvement
Good
Outstanding
Local authorityHertfordshire
PhaseSecondary with sixth form with sixth form
School typeAcademy
Pupil : teacher ratio18.2:1
AdmissionsNon-selective
Religious characterNone
StatusOpen
Overview of Sir John Lawes School · Secondary with sixth form · Hertfordshire
Part ofSCHOLARS' EDUCATION TRUST
How does this school perform?
Key Stage 4 · 2024/25 · trend since 2016/17
GCSE 9–4 incl. Eng & maths
87%
-2pp
89%86%83%
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 87%
GCSE 5+ incl. Eng & maths
76%
-1pp
76%73%70%
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 76%
Attainment 8
62.8
+0.5
63.362.161.0
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 62.8
EBacc entry
52%
+7pp
58%52%45%
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 52%
EBacc APS
1101.9
-12.5
1116.61097.91079.2
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 1101.9
Sixth form
Key Stage 5 · 2024/25 · trend since 2016/17
A-level APS
42.4
+1.6
43.240.938.7
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 42.4
A-level value added
+0.18
0
+0.3+0.20.0
'17'18'19'24'25
'25 · +0.2
AAB+ in facilitating subjects
28%
+2pp
31%27%24%
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 28%
Average A-level grade
B+
0
B+B+B
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · B+
Pupils & context
2024/25
Pupils on roll
1,356
Pupil : teacher ratio
18.2
Workforce data · 2025/26
EAL
12%
FSM eligible
9%
SEN
14%
Overall absence
4%
Persistent absence
7%
Contact
Address
Manland Way, Harpenden, AL5 4QP
Local authority
Hertfordshire
Website
Telephone
Email
—
History
All years · Historical DfE data by academic year
Secondary — Key Stage 4
GCSE attainment and Progress 8 — how pupils progressed from KS2 to KS4.
| Year | GCSE 9–4 | GCSE 5+ | Attainment 8 | Progress 8 | EBacc entry | EBacc APS | EBacc lang entry | Cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 87% | 76% | 62.8 | Not applicable | 52% | 1101.9 | 58% | 1,356 |
| 2023/24 | 89% | 76% | 62.3 | +0.79 | 45% | 1114.3 | 57% | 1,347 |
| 2022/23 | 88% | 72% | 61.0 | +0.79 | 50% | 1102.3 | 54% | 1,342 |
| 2021/22 | 83% | 70% | 63.3 | +0.77 | 48% | 1116.6 | 55% | 1,335 |
| 2018/19 | 88% | 75% | 61.0 | +0.58 | 58% | 1079.2 | 63% | 1,277 |
| 2017/18 | 84% | 72% | 58.8 | +0.48 | 48% | 1041.3 | 52% | 1,246 |
| 2016/17 | 81% | 57% | 54.8 | +0.34 | 55% | — | 62% | 1,237 |
Sixth form — Key Stage 5
| Year | A-level APS | Avg grade | VA progress | AAB+ | Cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 42.4 | B+ | +0.18 | 28% | 168 |
| 2023/24 | 40.8 | B | +0.14 | 25% | 176 |
| 2022/23 | 38.7 | B | — | 24% | 174 |
| 2021/22 | 43.2 | B+ | — | 31% | 173 |
| 2018/19 | 39.1 | B | +0.29 | 28% | 127 |
| 2017/18 | 38.3 | B- | +0.25 | 34% | 135 |
| 2016/17 | 37.6 | B- | +0.03 | 29% | 134 |
Pupils & absence
| Year | Pupils | Pupil:teacher | SEN | EAL | FSM ever | Absence | Persistent absence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 1,356 | 17.7 | 14% | 12% | 9% | 4% | 7% |
| 2023/24 | 1,347 | 17.1 | 13% | 12% | 9% | 4% | 8% |
| 2022/23 | 1,342 | 17.0 | 14% | 10% | 10% | 5% | 9% |
| 2021/22 | 1,335 | 16.3 | 14% | 8% | 10% | 5% | 13% |
| 2020/21 | 1,334 | 17.4 | 14% | 6% | 7% | — | — |
| 2018/19 | 1,277 | 17.2 | 16% | 6% | 12% | 4% | 6% |
| 2017/18 | 1,246 | 16.1 | 17% | 7% | 13% | 4% | 8% |
| 2016/17 | 1,237 | 15.6 | 16% | 7% | 13% | 4% | 6% |
School performance data © Crown copyright. Source: Department for Education.