Sir John Lawes School, Harpenden

In 2026, pupils at Sir John Lawes School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 63.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 50.6 in Hertfordshire and 47 across England.

72% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 53% in Hertfordshire and 47% in England.

That is up from 62.8 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.79: pupils made well above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 48.6, against 65.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 16.9 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

For September 2026 entry, 259 families put Sir John Lawes School as their first choice and 751 named it as one of their preferences, for 187 places offered. That is 1.4 first choices for every place. 80 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Sir John Lawes School are St George's School (0.3 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 65.6); Katherine Warington School (0.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.6); Roundwood Park School (1.2 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 59.1); and Townsend Church of England School (3.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.9).

Sir John Lawes School's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Sir John Lawes School is one of 13 schools run by Scholars' Education Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 199 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 95% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 12% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 173 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 69% went on to university or other higher education, 4% to apprenticeships and 14% into work. 37% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

8.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 180 pupils (13.1%) received SEN support and 27 (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 a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

The nearest railway station is Harpenden Rail Station, about 940 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sir John Lawes School (outside), 130 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Sir John Lawes School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Sir John Lawes School issued 17 suspensions, 1.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Sir John Lawes School are Manland Primary School (0.1 miles), Sauncey Wood Primary School (0.5 miles), Crabtree Junior School (0.5 miles) and Crabtree Infants' School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.