In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are above England, and results at 16 were above England in 2026. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.
Harpenden at a glance
Ahead of England on results at 11
How Harpenden's schools compare with England, area by area.
Schools and nurseries3713 primary · 4 secondary · 17 nurseries
Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
Met the standard at 1180%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths72%Attainment 8 60.0, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary5%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school13%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Harpenden
Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.
Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.
Worked out by Eduscope from each school's published figures. Not an official statistic for this town.
Numbers that sum up Harpenden
HarpendenEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 10 primaries with one.
100%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
3 of the 3 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
80%
England 62%
Above England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
72%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
13%
England 18%
Better than England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
5%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 14 schools that have one.
100%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding9
Good5
Requires improvement0
Inadequate0
How it has changed
Harpenden in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1180% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths72% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school13% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here
What it's like for families
Harpenden has 37 schools and nurseries.
There are 17% more pupils than in 2018.
5% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Harpenden's state schools each January.
7,4662018
7,6402019
7,9702021
8,2382022
8,4212023
8,5932024
8,7182025
8,7592026
Up 17% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.
Free school meals
Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.
Harpenden5%
Dates to know
Apply through your local council, even for academies and faith schools.
31 OctSecondary deadlineFor children starting Year 7.
15 JanPrimary deadlineFor children starting Reception.
1 MarSecondary offersOffers day for Year 7 places.
16 AprPrimary offersOffers day for Reception places.
Keep up with schools in Harpenden
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Harpenden has 37 schools, including 16 primary schools, 5 secondary schools, 17 nurseries, 3 independent schools. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.
What are the best schools in Harpenden?+
The highest-ranked schools in Harpenden on Eduscope are St Dominic Catholic Primary School, Wood End School, Crabtree Junior School. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.
What percentage of schools in Harpenden are rated Good or Outstanding?+
100% of inspected schools in Harpenden hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 9 schools rated Outstanding and 5 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Harpenden perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Harpenden, 80% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.
What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Harpenden?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Harpenden is 18.6:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.
What is the persistent absence rate in Harpenden schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Harpenden is 12.9%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.
How many pupils attend schools in Harpenden?+
There are 8,759 pupils enrolled across schools in Harpenden, with 3,429 in primary and 5,258 in secondary. 6.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in Harpenden?+
There are 3 independent schools in Harpenden. Fees vary by school and age group, with day school fees typically ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 per year. You can compare all private schools in Harpenden on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in Harpenden?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 37 schools in Harpenden by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.
Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.
