The Grove Junior School, Harpenden

Good
Primary
Community school
Mixed
Ages 711

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~326m)Possible (~466m)Unlikely (~606m)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Miss Lorna Urquhart
Pupils:350 / 360 capacity
LA:Hertfordshire
Phone:01582760031
Address:Dark Lane, Harpenden, AL5 1QB
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 4 years ago
-

Overall

Inspected 7 December 2022View full report
URN:117258
UKPRN:10079047
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Harpenden and Berkhamsted
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2013 inspection — up from Requires Improvement.

Rated Outstanding for

Leadership & management.

A plain-English summary of the full inspection report is coming soon.

At a Glance

9.1%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+2ppMaths-3ppWriting+4pp

Reading has remained stable at around 91%. Maths has remained stable at around 86%. Writing has improved from 81% to 85%.

Class Sizes

29.7

Avg class size

29.7

KS2

11

Total classes

1 class with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Harpenden Rail Station
1.2km · 19 min walk

Bus Stops

Barnfield Road (opp)
197m · 3 min walk
Grove Road (NE-bound)
217m · 4 min walk
Pipers Avenue (opp)
228m · 4 min walk
Highfield Avenue (adj)
276m · 4 min walk
Longfield Road (opp)
280m · 5 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

97%

Near capacity

350 pupils

360 capacity

10 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Harpenden

High pressure
New homes approved:718
Projected new pupils:180

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Harpenden

Admissions Demand - Hertfordshire

Low demand0.86x oversubscription

Places available

14,951

Applications

12,834

Got 1st preference

88.0%

Got preferred school

98.2%

Primary admissions across Hertfordshire (2025/26)

Inspection History(6)

7 December 2022
21 March 2017
7 March 2013
Leadership & ManagementOutstanding

House Prices

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

2.89942%

Overall absence

4.87805%

Persistent absence

369

Enrolments

Authorised2.45062%
Unauthorised0.4488%
Persistent (10%+)4.87805%
Severe (50%+)0.54201%

Absence trend

2.53305%
18/19
1.73157%
20/21
2.79499%
21/22
3.41106%
22/23
3.4079%
23/24
2.89942%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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