Sir John Lawes School

About Sir John Lawes School

Sir John Lawes School is an academy converter in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England, for pupils aged 11–18. It has 1,356 pupils on roll. It is part of SCHOLARS' EDUCATION TRUST. Its most recent Ofsted inspection (28 March 2023) rated it Outstanding. At GCSE, pupils achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 63.9 (2025/26). 8.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 13.5% have English as an additional language.

School Information

Local Authority

Hertfordshire →

School Type

Academy converter

Phase

Secondary

Age Range

Ages 11–18

Gender

Mixed

Pupils / Capacity

1,356 / 1,200 (113%) · over capacity

Sixth Form

Has a sixth form

Religious Character

None

Admissions Policy

Non-selective

Last Ofsted Inspection

28 March 2023

Who attends this school — useful context if you’re considering teaching here.

Source: DfE School Census, 2025/26, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Official Department for Education results, pupil destinations and attendance.

Progress 8 isn’t published for this year group: their Key Stage 2 baseline (2021 SATs) was cancelled during the pandemic, so a progress measure can’t be calculated. GCSE figures are provisional and may be revised.

Source: Department for Education performance tables, 2025/26, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Some independent schools’ qualifications (e.g. IGCSEs) are not all reflected in these figures.

Staffing at this school, with the trend over recent years — useful if you’re considering working here.

Data for the 2024/25 academic year (trend lines show 3 years). Source: DfE School Workforce Census, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. State-funded schools only.

How this school is funded and where the money goes — per pupil.

Source: DfE school finance returns (CFR for council-maintained schools, AAR for academies), 2024-25, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Per-pupil figures are calculated from total income/expenditure.

Contact Details

Address

Manland Way, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 4QP

Phone

01582760043

Headteacher

Philip Newbery

Website

http://www.sjl.herts.sch.uk

Academy Trust

Frequently asked questions

What type of school is Sir John Lawes School?

Sir John Lawes School is an academy converter in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England, for pupils aged 11–18.

How many pupils does Sir John Lawes School have?

Sir John Lawes School has 1,356 pupils on roll, according to Department for Education data.

What is Sir John Lawes School's Ofsted rating?

Sir John Lawes School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection (28 March 2023).

How does Sir John Lawes School perform at GCSE?

Pupils at Sir John Lawes School achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 63.9 in 2025/26.

Is Sir John Lawes School part of an academy trust?

Yes — Sir John Lawes School is part of SCHOLARS' EDUCATION TRUST.

Where is Sir John Lawes School?

Sir John Lawes School is located at Manland Way, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 4QP.