Samuel Ryder Academy

Academy sponsor led; sixth form; mixed; ages 4 to 19; 1,577 pupils; Hertfordshire, AL1 5AR; URN 138582

Samuel Ryder Academy’s latest inspection, on 21 April 2026, ended with a report card; safeguarding met. Of the eight state secondary schools nearest to it, three have key judgements without an overall grade, three have an overall grade on the old scale and two have an ungraded inspection. The oldest verdict, at Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School, dates from 14 November 2023; the latest, at Beaumont School, from 13 May 2025.

Each mark is one of the schools below, at the date of its latest inspection: report card key judgements only overall grade, old scale ungraded inspection. Behind them, the ruler Ofsted used on that date: pale, an overall grade on the old four-point scale (until 31 August 2024); mid blue, key judgements without an overall grade (from 1 September 2024); deep blue, report cards (from 10 November 2025).

Samuel Ryder Academy and the eight state secondary schools nearest to it

From Samuel Ryder Academy’s position in the register of schools, in a straight line, among the open state schools in England that teach pupils of secondary age or students aged 16 and over (special schools and further education colleges are not included). Each mark sits at the exact date of the school’s latest inspection in Ofsted’s data as at 30 September 2026.

here
Samuel Ryder Academy
AL1 5AR, Hertfordshire; sixth form

Report card inspected 21 April 2026; safeguarding met
GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 52.4 (Hertfordshire 50.4, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 50.5% (Hertfordshire 53.6%, England 46.3%); A level 2024/25: average grade B-, 35.38 points per entry (England B-, 35.00)
The report card, area by area
- Inclusion: strong standard
- Curriculum and teaching: strong standard
- Achievement: expected standard
- Attendance and behaviour: strong standard
- Personal development and wellbeing: strong standard
- Leadership and governance: strong standard
- Early years: strong standard
- Post-16 provision: expected standard
- Safeguarding: met
Ofsted report for Samuel Ryder Academy
1.1 mi1,808 m NE
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School
AL4 0TT, Hertfordshire; sixth form

Outstanding overall grade on the old four-point scale, 14 November 2023
GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 55.0 (Hertfordshire 50.4, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 66.5% (Hertfordshire 53.6%, England 46.3%); A level 2024/25: average grade B-, 35.77 points per entry (England B-, 35.00)
The key judgements, one by one
- Quality of education: outstanding
- Behaviour and attitudes: outstanding
- Personal development: outstanding
- Leadership and management: outstanding
- Sixth form provision: outstanding
Ofsted report for Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School
1.2 mi1,883 m N
Verulam School
AL1 4PR, Hertfordshire; sixth form

School remains Good ungraded inspection, 22 May 2024

GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 54.4 (Hertfordshire 50.4, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 63.6% (Hertfordshire 53.6%, England 46.3%); A level 2024/25: average grade C+, 32.24 points per entry (England B-, 35.00)
Ofsted report for Verulam School
1.2 mi1,989 m NE
Beaumont School
AL4 0XB, Hertfordshire; sixth form

Key judgements, no overall grade graded inspection, 13 May 2025
GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 63.0 (Hertfordshire 50.4, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 76.1% (Hertfordshire 53.6%, England 46.3%); A level 2024/25: average grade B, 40.52 points per entry (England B-, 35.00)
The key judgements, one by one
- Quality of education: outstanding
- Behaviour and attitudes: outstanding
- Personal development: outstanding
- Leadership and management: outstanding
- Sixth form provision: outstanding
Ofsted report for Beaumont School
1.2 mi2,012 m NW
Loreto College
AL1 3RQ, Hertfordshire; sixth form

Key judgements, no overall grade graded inspection, 15 October 2024
GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 56.2 (Hertfordshire 50.4, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 61.6% (Hertfordshire 53.6%, England 46.3%); A level 2024/25: average grade C+, 33.14 points per entry (England B-, 35.00)
The key judgements, one by one
- Quality of education: outstanding
- Behaviour and attitudes: outstanding
- Personal development: outstanding
- Leadership and management: outstanding
- Sixth form provision: good
Ofsted report for Loreto College
1.6 mi2,639 m W
The Marlborough Science Academy
AL1 2QA, Hertfordshire; sixth form

Good overall grade on the old four-point scale, 29 November 2023
GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 42.6 (Hertfordshire 50.4, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 29.0% (Hertfordshire 53.6%, England 46.3%); A level 2024/25: average grade C, 28.85 points per entry (England B-, 35.00)
The key judgements, one by one
- Quality of education: good
- Behaviour and attitudes: outstanding
- Personal development: outstanding
- Leadership and management: outstanding
- Sixth form provision: outstanding
Ofsted report for The Marlborough Science Academy
2.2 mi3,557 m N
Sandringham School
AL4 9NX, Hertfordshire; sixth form

Outstanding overall grade on the old four-point scale, 7 February 2024
GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 65.7 (Hertfordshire 50.4, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 84.4% (Hertfordshire 53.6%, England 46.3%); A level 2024/25: average grade B+, 42.11 points per entry (England B-, 35.00)
The key judgements, one by one
- Quality of education: outstanding
- Behaviour and attitudes: outstanding
- Personal development: outstanding
- Leadership and management: outstanding
- Sixth form provision: outstanding
Ofsted report for Sandringham School
2.4 mi3,776 m N
St Albans Girls' School
AL3 6DB, Hertfordshire; sixth form

Key judgements, no overall grade graded inspection, 26 November 2024
GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 60.7 (Hertfordshire 50.4, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 69.4% (Hertfordshire 53.6%, England 46.3%); A level 2024/25: average grade B, 39.43 points per entry (England B-, 35.00)
The key judgements, one by one
- Quality of education: outstanding
- Behaviour and attitudes: outstanding
- Personal development: outstanding
- Leadership and management: outstanding
- Sixth form provision: outstanding
Ofsted report for St Albans Girls' School
2.8 mi4,479 m NW
Townsend Church of England School
AL3 6DR, Hertfordshire; sixth form

School remains Good ungraded inspection, 24 January 2024

GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 43.9 (Hertfordshire 50.4, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 37.4% (Hertfordshire 53.6%, England 46.3%); A level 2024/25: average grade C-, 27.98 points per entry (England B-, 35.00)
Ofsted report for Townsend Church of England School

See more schools around it: the next schools by distance, or the nearest sixth forms.

The latest inspection, in detail

Report card, inspection of 21 April 2026
Area	Position on the five-point scale	Grade
Inclusion		Strong standard
Curriculum and teaching		Strong standard
Achievement		Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour		Strong standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Strong standard
Leadership and governance		Strong standard
Early years		Strong standard
Post-16 provision		Expected standard
Safeguarding standards		Met

Each area is graded on Ofsted’s five-point scale, from urgent improvement to exceptional; safeguarding is met or not met. How to read a report card.

Read the full report on Ofsted’s website

Exam results

GCSE and other key stage 4 results, 2025/26 (provisional): 188 pupils at the end of key stage 4
Measure	This school	Hertfordshire	England
Average Attainment 8 score	52.4	50.4	46.2
Percentage of pupils achieving grades 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs	50.5%	53.6%	46.3%
Percentage of pupils achieving grades 4 or above in English and maths GCSEs	73.9%	71.3%	64.8%

England and Hertfordshire: all state-funded schools. Provisional figures can be revised by the Department for Education. The 2025/26 data gives no Progress 8 scores.

A level results, 2024/25: 71 students
Measure	This school	England
Average grade per A level entry	B-	B-
A level average point score per entry	35.38	35.00
Students achieving AAB or better, at least two in facilitating subjects	9.8%	17.5%

England: all state-funded schools and colleges.

Nearby schools with a page on this site

London Academy Barnet, 8.0 mi in a straight line
The Totteridge Academy Barnet, 8.4 mi in a straight line
Kingsbury High School Brent, 10.4 mi in a straight line

In the register of schools

Samuel Ryder Academy is a state-funded mixed all-through school in Hertfordshire, for pupils aged 4 to 19, with a sixth form. The register counts 1,577 pupils for a capacity of 1,520. Trust: SCHOLARS' EDUCATION TRUST. Address: Drakes Drive, St Albans, AL1 5AR. Website: www.samuelryderacademy.co.uk.

For school places, distance is measured as set out in each school’s admission arrangements, which may differ from a straight line: check them with the school or the council.

Sources

Department for Education: Key stage 4 performance, academic year 2025/26 (provisional), school, local authority and England data, accessed 31 October 2026.
Department for Education: 16 to 19 performance, academic year 2024/25 (final), A level results by school and for England, accessed 31 October 2026.
Department for Education: Get Information about Schools, register of schools (all establishments, 30 October 2026), accessed 30 October 2026.
Ofsted: management information, state-funded schools, latest inspections as at 30 September 2026, accessed 30 October 2026.

Last updated 2 November 2026.