Samuel Ryder Academy
St Albans, AL1 5AR · Hertfordshire · all-through school
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27th of 78 secondary schools in Hertfordshire we can score, 82 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 7.3/10 against 883 of them, against 7.1/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 85 | 35% | 2.96 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 50.5 · 64 | 30% | 1.91 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.35 · 76 | 25% | 1.90 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 52.4 · 79 | 10% | 0.79 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Samuel Ryder Academy overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 69.7% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 56.5, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.35 in 2023/24, indicating better progress than pupils nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (9.0 out of 10 against similar schools, 8.5 out of 10 against all schools). Ofsted inspected the school in April 2026 under the new framework, which grades areas separately without an overall grade.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils join art, film, science, robotics, astronomy, and Latin clubs, plus reading groups. Sports include rugby, football, basketball, netball, rounders, athletics, gymnastics, and dance. Arts and music offer bands, choirs, media workshops, and Duke of Edinburgh. Trips go to ski resorts, Barcelona, Paris, ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, Ingestre Hall, and Verulam Park. An after-school club is available.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,577 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,520. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
With the school currently
What Ofsted said about Samuel Ryder Academy
Overview
Samuel Ryder Academy is described as a "harmonious community" where pupils are "well known by staff" and feel safe. The report highlights a "rich and well-rounded education" with strong attendance, behaviour, and curriculum design, noting that most pupils achieve well above national averages.
Strengths
- Attendance is higher than national rates, with leaders "swiftly adjust[ing] their attendance strategy to remove barriers" and handling situations with sensitivity.
- Pupils are "highly engaged and attentive," with "almost no low-level disruption" and a culture where they are "kind and responsive to others' needs."
- The curriculum is "well designed," featuring notable "provision for oracy development" and careful deployment of specialist teachers to support primary-age pupils.
- Inclusion is "highly inclusive," with effective support for pupils with special educational needs and those known to social care, including "counselling and art therapy."
- Personal development is "comprehensive and... inspirational," with over three-quarters of pupils attending one of approximately 280 clubs.
Areas to improve
- Leaders should ensure pupils in key stage 2 make "rapid gains with their handwriting," checking the impact of the new scheme.
- Leaders should "continue to strengthen the outcomes for high prior attainers."
- Leaders should develop the depth of sixth-form students’ responses so that A-level outcomes "rise above those seen nationally and are sustained over time."
Safeguarding
The safeguarding standards are met, with an "open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility" and concerns actively identified and managed.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 50.4 |
| 2024/25 | 56.5 |
| 2025/26 | 52.4 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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