Heathlands School, St Albans
Heathlands School is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 18 in St Albans. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2017)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Heathlands School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Heathlands School are Batchwood School (0.4 miles, Good); Watling View School (2 miles, Good); Seva Education St Albans (3.6 miles); and St Luke's School (4.1 miles, Good).
Batchwood SchoolWatling View SchoolSeva Education St AlbansSt Luke's School
Where pupils go next
Of the 20 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 95% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 50% to a further education college.
Who goes there
34.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 88% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (47%), Mixed (13%) and Black (8%).
Almost every pupil at Heathlands School has an education, health and care plan (150 of 150 in 2026). The most common need among them is hearing impairment.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is St Albans City Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Heath Farm Lane (near), 360 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Heathlands 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 230 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Hertfordshire (138), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Heathlands School issued 9 suspensions, 5.9 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoThis judgement is from September 2017, 9 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its September 2017 inspection - up from Good.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
34.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 20% to 13% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 30% to 50% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 20% to 0% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Heathlands School
Happiness and seeds of kindness
2 Oct 2026
Fab week
2 Oct 2026
Congratulations to this Scorpion for achieving the house cup.
2 Oct 2026
The Science of Light
1 Oct 2026
Research from factual books
29 Sep 2026
RE - Belonging (Baptisms)
29 Sep 2026
From Heathlands School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Heathlands School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Heathlands School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Heathlands School is in Hertfordshire; for families living there:
- Hertfordshire's school travel policy: Read the home to school transport policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 16
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 12 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
3 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
Area Demand Pressure - St Albans
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for St Albans
Across Hertfordshire council
Places available
15,222
Applications
13,456
Got 1st preference
77.5%
Got preferred school
94.9%
All secondary applications across Hertfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
150
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
150
Total Pupils
75
Boys
75
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
38
Teachers
3.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£59,471
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.9%
Overall absence
17.6%
Persistent absence
108
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Heathlands School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Heathlands School
What are GCSE results like at Heathlands School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Heathlands School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 30.3. 25% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Heathlands School's Ofsted rating?
Heathlands School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2017, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Heathlands School?
No fixed boundary. When Heathlands School is oversubscribed, Hertfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Heathlands School?
Heathlands School has around 150 pupils on roll. 35% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Heathlands School?
7.9% of sessions were missed at Heathlands School in 2024/25. 17.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Heathlands School?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Heathlands School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Heathlands School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 12 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 3 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Heathlands School?
Heathlands School is at Heathlands Drive, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 5AY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)