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Harpenden, East of England
Sir John Lawes School is a secondary academy in Harpenden, East of England.
Government data shown for the 2024/25 academic year
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Sir John Lawes School is a secondary academy in Harpenden, East of England. It has not yet been rated by students on y.school. Be the first to rate this academy and help other students and parents understand what the school experience is really like.
In terms of academic performance, Sir John Lawes School has a Progress 8 score of +0.79 (above the national average), an Attainment 8 score of 62.3, 89% of students achieving grade 4+ in English and Maths, an average A-Level grade of B.
The school has 625 pupils on roll, a teacher turnover rate of 8.9%, 6% of pupils eligible for free school meals, an overall absence rate of 4.1%.
After leaving Sir John Lawes School, student destinations include 74% going on to university and 4% entering apprenticeships.
All student scores on y.school are calculated from anonymous ratings using a transparent, deterministic methodology. Scores are freshness-weighted (18-month half-life) and include confidence tiers based on sample size, diversity, and consistency. For full details, see the y.school methodology.
Profile completeness: 6 of 8 data domains · Good coverage
8.5
Excellent
/ 10
Data Score
Computed from 26 government data points. Not based on student reviews.
Source: DfE / Ofsted · context onlyGovernment data is shown for context and does not influence the student-review Student Score. Small schools can show extreme percentages from small sample sizes.
Latest government data shown is for the 2024/25 academic year; some figures cover earlier years.
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Sir John Lawes School has a Progress 8 score of +0.79, which is above the national average of 0. Progress 8 measures how much progress students make between the end of Key Stage 2 and their GCSE results, compared to students with similar starting points nationally.
The school's Attainment 8 score is 62.3. Attainment 8 measures the average achievement of students across 8 qualifications including English, Maths, three EBacc subjects, and three open group qualifications.
89% of students at Sir John Lawes School achieved grade 4 or above in both English and Maths GCSEs.
Students at Sir John Lawes School achieve an average A-Level grade of B. This metric covers all A-Level and equivalent qualifications taken at the school.
Sir John Lawes School has an overall absence rate of 4.1%. The national average for secondary schools was approximately 8.5% (DfE, 2023/24).
The teacher turnover rate at Sir John Lawes School is 8.9%. This measures the percentage of teachers who left the school in the past year.
Sir John Lawes School has 625 pupils on roll.
6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is used as a proxy for socioeconomic disadvantage.
14% of pupils receive SEN (Special Educational Needs) support or have an Education, Health and Care plan.
After leaving Sir John Lawes School, 74% go on to university and 4% enter apprenticeships.
Based on the latest government data. Every child is different — use this as a starting point, not a verdict.
In context — vs similar-intake schools
Top 25% for its intakeSir John Lawes School is in the top 25% for Progress 8 among schools with a similar intake (0–11% of pupils eligible for free school meals).
Compared with 698 schools nationally that have a similar share of disadvantaged pupils (0–11% of pupils eligible for free school meals). Raw league-table positions are heavily shaped by intake; this comparison isolates how a school performs relative to others facing similar circumstances. Progress 8 already accounts for prior attainment. Source: Department for Education.
See the schools that most outperform their intakeSchools like this one
Matched on the share of disadvantaged pupils plus special-needs, English-as-an-additional-language and school size — so you can compare like with like, not just by postcode.
National percentiles (100 = best) for the area around the school · 5/5 measures · Police.uk, DEFRA, NaPTAN, DfT STATS19, MHCLG IoD 2025.
Other schools in the Harpenden area
Sir John Lawes School was rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted following an inspection in March 2023 (3 years ago). Based on Ofsted's inspection cycle, Sir John Lawes School is next inspection expected around 2027.
An "Outstanding" rating means Ofsted found the quality of education, behaviour, personal development, and leadership to all be of the highest standard — the top grade Ofsted awarded under the graded system.
Note: From November 2025, Ofsted replaced single-word judgements with detailed report cards covering multiple categories. While Sir John Lawes School's rating shown above was awarded under the previous system, Ofsted now provides more granular assessments. For the most up-to-date inspection information, check the school's report card on the Ofsted website.
Ofsted data is shown for context only and does not influence the Student Score. For the official report, visit reports.ofsted.gov.uk.