School profile

Sandringham School

Secondary · Academy converter · St Albans, AL4 9NX

Outstanding

Map showing Sandringham School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#141 of 3,312

Better than 95% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#295 of 2,536

Better than 88% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Sandringham School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 7 Feb 2024

Ofsted rating
Outstanding
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Sixth form provision
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,777
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Mark Nicholls
TrustAMBITION EDUCATION TRUST
Local authorityHertfordshire
Opened01 Apr 2011
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 136609.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolHertfordshireEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.65.7, better than England, better than Hertfordshire50.446.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.91.4%, better than England, better than Hertfordshire71.3%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.84.4%, better than England, better than Hertfordshire53.6%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.41.2%, better than England, better than Hertfordshire18.8%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths89.7%, better than England, better than Hertfordshire67.2%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4243--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolHertfordshireEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.42.11, better than England, better than Hertfordshire36.8235
Average A-level gradeB+--
Average points, best three A-levels42.45, better than England, better than Hertfordshire37.435.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsB+--
AAB or better25.3%, better than England, better than Hertfordshire19%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.28, better than England--
A-level progressAbove average, better than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study302--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Dist+--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,777
Girls828
Boys949
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.6.2%
First language not English14.6%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,810
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.1.8%
Sixth form places2024/25610
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.128
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.38
Average class size20.5

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
56.9%
Other White
9.5%
Chinese
7.9%
Other mixed
5.7%
Other Asian
4.5%
White and Asian
3.8%
Indian
2.6%
Pakistani
1.5%
Other ethnic group
1.4%
African
1.2%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher15.6
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11.7
Teachers (FTE)113.99
Teaching assistants (FTE)20.24
Support staff (FTE)67.63
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/25114.7
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/25105.2
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/254
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/255.5

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.233
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.1,005
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.337
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.229
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)3

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolHertfordshireEngland
Overall absence5.3%, better than England, better than Hertfordshire7.4%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.10.3%, better than England, better than Hertfordshire18.5%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.1.7%, better than England, better than Hertfordshire2.9%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate6%
Pupils with one or more suspensions2.9%
Permanent exclusion rate0.1%
Permanent exclusions1

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.99.6%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.98.3%
School sixth form81.3%
Further education17.1%
Apprenticeship1.3%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.0.4%
Sixth form college0%
Employment0%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.90.7%
Higher education72.5%
Employment11.9%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.6.7%
Apprenticeship3.7%
Further education0.7%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Sandringham School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miPrimaryWheatfields Junior Mixed SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.2 miPrimaryWheatfields Infants' and Nursery SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.3 miPrimarySkyswood Primary & Nursery SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
0.4 miPrimarySt John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyAcademy converter
Good
0.9 miPrimarySandridge SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.0 miPrimaryBernards Heath Junior SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.0 miPrimaryOakwood Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.0 miPrimaryBernards Heath Infant and Nursery SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.0 miSecondarySt Albans Girls' SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
1.1 miSecondaryVerulam SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about Sandringham School

What is Sandringham School's Ofsted rating?

Sandringham School is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, last inspected on 7 Feb 2024.

How does Sandringham School rank in England?

Sandringham School ranks 141 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 95% of schools) and 295 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (better than 88% of schools).

What are Sandringham School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 84.4% of pupils at Sandringham School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 65.7 (England 46.2).

What are Sandringham School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Sandringham School was B+, and 25.3% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Sandringham School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Sandringham School made 233 offers from 1,005 applications (4.3 per offer), and 229 of 337 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Sandringham School?

Sandringham School has 1,777 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Sandringham School?

Sandringham School had 1,810 school places in 2024/25.

Does Sandringham School have a sixth form?

Yes, Sandringham School has a sixth form with 610 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Sandringham School?

At Sandringham School, the average class had 20.5 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.6 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Sandringham School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Sandringham School missed 5.3% of sessions (England 8%), and 10.3% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.