St Albans Girls' School, St Albans
St Albans Girls' School is a secondary school for girls aged 11 to 18 in St Albans, part of Ambition Education Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 3rd-highest of the 9 schools in St Albans with published results, and 243rd of 3,298 across England. It was 98% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
- Progress (2024)
- Well above average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Hertfordshire (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Albans Girls' School in detail
Results
In 2026, pupils at St Albans Girls' School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 60.7, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 50.6 in Hertfordshire and 47 across England.
69% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 53% in Hertfordshire and 47% in England.
That is up from 58.8 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.55: 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 47.6, against 62.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 14.9 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 27 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Spanish.
Getting a place at St Albans Girls' School
For September 2026 entry, 215 families put St Albans Girls' School as their first choice and 736 named it as one of their preferences, for 240 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 39 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St Albans Girls' School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to St Albans Girls' School are Townsend Church of England School (0.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.9); Sandringham School (1 mile, Outstanding, Attainment 8 65.7); Loreto College (1.2 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 56.2); and Verulam School (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 54.4).
St Albans Girls' School's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Townsend Church of England SchoolSandringham SchoolLoreto CollegeVerulam School
The trust
St Albans Girls' School is one of 11 schools run by Ambition Education Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 53.2 in 2024/25.
What parents say
302 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Albans Girls' School (as of September 2025): 93% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 63% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school has high expectations for their child (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (63%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 232 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 93% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 27% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 0% into work.
Of the 123 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 70% went on to university or other higher education, 3% to apprenticeships and 14% into work. 43% went to one of the most selective third of universities.
Who goes there
10.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 190 pupils (13.4%) received SEN support and 8 (0.6%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is St Albans City Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Albans Girls' School (in), 60 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Albans Girls' School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 7th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 77 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Hertfordshire (138).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Albans Girls' School issued 57 suspensions, 4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to St Albans Girls' School are Bernards Heath Junior School (0.4 miles), Margaret Wix Primary School (0.4 miles), Garden Fields Junior Mixed and Infant School (0.5 miles) and Bernards Heath Infant and Nursery School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Bernards Heath Junior SchoolMargaret Wix Primary SchoolGarden Fields Junior Mixed and Infant SchoolBernards Heath Infant and Nursery School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; 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
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from January 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Albans Girls' School excels at creating a nurturing environment where every pupil is known incredibly well and supported to achieve at the highest level. Teachers are passionate subject specialists who inspire a deep love of learning, while the school's strong emphasis on well-being means pupils thrive both academically and personally. The exceptional range of enrichment activities, from singing in the choir to learning sign language, ensures every pupil finds their place in a truly vibrant school community.
Key Strengths
- Expert subject specialists who teach with deep passion and knowledge, inspiring pupils to love learning -
- Strong reading support that quickly identifies struggling readers and helps all pupils develop reading confidence -
- Exemplary pupil behaviour and conduct reflecting the school's ethos of respect and excellence -
- Excellent careers guidance and workplace preparation, ensuring pupils are well prepared for their next steps -
- Rich enrichment activities and abundant leadership opportunities that foster a deep sense of belonging
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Choir, netball, sign choir, colour run, sports captain roles, house captain roles, chair volleyball, weekly STAGS Talks
St Albans Girls' School is an exceptional school where pupils flourish in a warm, supportive community with high academic standards and outstanding behaviour. The school maintains an aspirational culture that inspires pupils to achieve impressive success at all stages of their education.
About
St Albans Girls' School, usually referred to as STAGS, is a girls' secondary school in St Albans, Hertfordshire.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
10.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
302 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has declined from 0.85 to 0.55 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has remained stable at around 60.7 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has remained stable at around 69% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 60.7 | 69.4% |
| Disadvantaged(28) | - | 47.6 | 28.6% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(204) | - | 62.5 | 75% |
| Girls(232) | - | 60.7 | 69.4% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(36) | - | 65.2 | 77.8% |
| Non mobile(221) | - | 61.3 | 70.1% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 7 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 232 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
0
Permanent exclusions
0.00%
Exclusion rate
57
Suspensions
3.99%
Suspension rate
28 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 1,428 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with St Albans Girls' School
Term dates
St Albans Girls' School is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Hertfordshire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Albans Girls' School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Albans Girls' 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
- 13
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 11 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
1 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
Your chances of a place at St Albans Girls' School
Will you get a place at St Albans Girls' School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Albans Girls' School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Albans Girls' School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Albans Girls' School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Hertfordshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Albans Girls' School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Hertfordshire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
98%
Near capacity
1,425 pupils
1,450 places
25 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
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.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
190
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
13.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
1,423
Total Pupils
0
Boys
1,423
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
103
Teachers
13.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,213
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,787
Per pupil
£8356k
Total funding
£142k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.4%
Overall absence
17.6%
Persistent absence
1,211
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
St Albans Girls' School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about St Albans Girls' School
What are GCSE results like at St Albans Girls' School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at St Albans Girls' School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 60.7. 69% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is St Albans Girls' School's Ofsted rating?
St Albans Girls' School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for St Albans Girls' School?
No fixed boundary. When St Albans Girls' School is oversubscribed, Hertfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Albans Girls' School?
St Albans Girls' School was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St Albans Girls' School?
Classes at St Albans Girls' School average 23.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Albans Girls' School?
St Albans Girls' School has around 1423 pupils on roll. 11% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Albans Girls' School?
7.4% of sessions were missed at St Albans Girls' School in 2024/25. 17.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Albans Girls' School?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming St Albans Girls' School on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
How many road collisions happen near St Albans Girls' School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 11 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 1 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 St Albans Girls' School?
St Albans Girls' School is at Sandridgebury Lane, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 6DB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)