Bernards Heath Infant and Nursery School, St Albans

Ofsted's report card from its 28 April 2026 inspection grades Bernards Heath Infant and Nursery School on 7 areas: 2 strong standard and 5 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders ensure that inclusion sits at the heart of the school's culture."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders demonstrate highly effective, strategic leadership of pupils' personal development and wellbeing."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Over time, pupils develop the knowledge they should in reading, writing and mathematics."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders have created an effective behaviour curriculum."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have developed a broad and interesting curriculum."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders give the early years a high priority."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders and governors guide the school with purpose."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should embed highly effective teaching practice to ensure the writing curriculum is taught consistently well across all year groups"; "Leaders should ensure that staff use assessment information to check pupils' understanding precisely and target support consistently well".

For September 2026 entry, 52 families put Bernards Heath Infant and Nursery School as their first choice and 144 named it as one of their preferences, for 55 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Bernards Heath Infant and Nursery School are Bernards Heath Junior School (0.2 miles, Good, 83% reading, 84% maths); Maple Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 93% reading, 96% maths); Garden Fields Junior Mixed and Infant School (0.5 miles, 78% reading, 81% maths); and Alban City School (0.6 miles, Good, 84% reading, 86% maths).

6.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 24 pupils (8.6%) received SEN support and 9 (3.2%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.

Bernards Heath Infant and Nursery School had 20 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is St Albans City Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Seymour Road (opposite), 170 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Bernards Heath Infant and Nursery School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 324 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Hertfordshire (138), as is usual near a town centre.

Bernards Heath Infant and Nursery School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.

The secondary schools closest to Bernards Heath Infant and Nursery School are Loreto College (0.6 miles), Verulam School (0.6 miles), St Albans Girls' School (0.7 miles) and Sandringham School (1 mile).