What did Ofsted judge Sir John Lawes School's overall effectiveness to be?

Ofsted judged Sir John Lawes School's overall effectiveness as Outstanding at its inspection in March 2023, on Ofsted's own scale.

How many pupils attend Sir John Lawes School?

Sir John Lawes School has 1,373 pupils on roll.

What ages does Sir John Lawes School take?

Sir John Lawes School admits pupils aged 11 to 18.

Where is Sir John Lawes School located?

Sir John Lawes School is located in Harpenden, AL5 4QP, Hertfordshire.

How do I apply to Sir John Lawes School?

Sir John Lawes School is a state school. In England you apply through the council where you live, using its common application form, even if the school is in another council area. The national closing date for secondary places is 31 October.

How close do you need to live to get into Sir John Lawes School?

On offer day for 2026-27 (Year 7), the furthest place offered at Sir John Lawes School was 0.637 miles from the school. That is the distance the last place reached in one year, not a boundary and not a guarantee — it moves with the number of applicants.

How are Year 7 places decided at Sir John Lawes School?

When Sir John Lawes School has more applications than places for 2027-28, they are offered in a published order of priority: 1. Children looked after / previously looked after — Children looked after and children who were previously looked after, including those who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England, and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or a special guardianship order; 2. Medical or social need — Children for whom it can be demonstrated that they have a particular medical or social need to go to that specific school, assessed by a Panel of school governors based on specific professional evidence; 3. Sibling — Children who have a sibling at the school at the time of application, unless the sibling is in the last year of the normal age range of the school, and 5 further criteria. The school offers 196 places at this entry point. Tie-break: These rules are applied in the order they are printed above. If more children qualify under a particular rule than there are places available, a tiebreak will be used by applying the next rule to those children. Where there is a need for a tie-breaker where two different addresses measure the same distance from a school, in the case of a block of flats for example the lower door number will be deemed nearest as logically this will be on the ground floor and therefore closer. If there are two identical addresses of separate applicants, the tie break will be random allocation.

What is the largest ethnic background at Sir John Lawes School?

According to the DfE School Census 2025-26, 61.2% of pupils at Sir John Lawes School are recorded as White British. The full ethnic breakdown across all groups is available on the Pupils tab.

Sir John Lawes School: Ofsted, Results & Catchment 2026

School AtlasHertfordshire

Hertfordshire

School AtlasHertfordshire

Hertfordshire

How close did you need to live?

0.637miles

was the furthest place offered on offer day for 2026-27 (Year 7). That is how far the last place reached in ONE year — not a boundary, and not a guarantee. It moves with the number of applicants, so treat it as a guide rather than a line on a map.

Last distance offered at Sir John Lawes School, year by year →

How places are decided at Sir John Lawes School

When there are more applications than places for 2027-28 (Year 7), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1Children looked after / previously looked after — Children looked after and children who were previously looked after, including those who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England, and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or a special guardianship order.
2Medical or social need — Children for whom it can be demonstrated that they have a particular medical or social need to go to that specific school, assessed by a Panel of school governors based on specific professional evidence.
3Sibling — Children who have a sibling at the school at the time of application, unless the sibling is in the last year of the normal age range of the school.
4Children of staff — Children of staff, provided the member of staff has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time of application, or is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
5Priority primary school — Children who, at the closing date for applications, attend the following priority primary school: Harpenden Academy.
6Nearest suitable school in priority area — Children who live in the priority area and for whom it is their nearest Hertfordshire maintained non-faith, co-educational, non-partially selective school or academy.
7Nearest in priority area — Children who live in the priority area who live nearest to the school.
8Distance outside priority area — Children living outside the priority area on the basis of distance, with those living nearest to the school given priority.

If two applications tie: These rules are applied in the order they are printed above. If more children qualify under a particular rule than there are places available, a tiebreak will be used by applying the next rule to those children. Where there is a need for a tie-breaker where two different addresses measure the same distance from a school, in the case of a block of flats for example the lower door number will be deemed nearest as logically this will be on the ground floor and therefore closer. If there are two identical addresses of separate applicants, the tie break will be random allocation.

Document also includes separate Sixth Form admission arrangements (PAN 40 for external students) with an analogous 8-rule criteria list naming 'Priory Academy' as the priority secondary school for Rule 5; this entry covers the Year 7 (normal entry) arrangements only as that is the school's stated entry point.

Published by the admission authority. Meeting a criterion never guarantees a place — it sets the order places are offered in. Full detail, other entry points and previous years are on the Admissions tab.

Sir John Lawes School: key facts

What did Ofsted judge Sir John Lawes School's overall effectiveness to be?: Ofsted judged Sir John Lawes School's overall effectiveness as Outstanding at its inspection in March 2023, on Ofsted's own scale.
How many pupils attend Sir John Lawes School?: Sir John Lawes School has 1,373 pupils on roll.
What ages does Sir John Lawes School take?: Sir John Lawes School admits pupils aged 11 to 18.
Where is Sir John Lawes School located?: Sir John Lawes School is located in Harpenden, AL5 4QP, Hertfordshire.
How do I apply to Sir John Lawes School?: Sir John Lawes School is a state school. In England you apply through the council where you live, using its common application form, even if the school is in another council area. The national closing date for secondary places is 31 October.
How close do you need to live to get into Sir John Lawes School?: On offer day for 2026-27 (Year 7), the furthest place offered at Sir John Lawes School was 0.637 miles from the school. That is the distance the last place reached in one year, not a boundary and not a guarantee — it moves with the number of applicants.
How are Year 7 places decided at Sir John Lawes School?: When Sir John Lawes School has more applications than places for 2027-28, they are offered in a published order of priority: 1. Children looked after / previously looked after — Children looked after and children who were previously looked after, including those who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England, and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or a special guardianship order; 2. Medical or social need — Children for whom it can be demonstrated that they have a particular medical or social need to go to that specific school, assessed by a Panel of school governors based on specific professional evidence; 3. Sibling — Children who have a sibling at the school at the time of application, unless the sibling is in the last year of the normal age range of the school, and 5 further criteria. The school offers 196 places at this entry point. Tie-break: These rules are applied in the order they are printed above. If more children qualify under a particular rule than there are places available, a tiebreak will be used by applying the next rule to those children. Where there is a need for a tie-breaker where two different addresses measure the same distance from a school, in the case of a block of flats for example the lower door number will be deemed nearest as logically this will be on the ground floor and therefore closer. If there are two identical addresses of separate applicants, the tie break will be random allocation.
What is the largest ethnic background at Sir John Lawes School?: According to the DfE School Census 2025-26, 61.2% of pupils at Sir John Lawes School are recorded as White British. The full ethnic breakdown across all groups is available on the Pupils tab.

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On-site nursery & childcare

Separately-registered childcare operating at this school's site, each with its own Ofsted record.

Stagecoach Harpenden

Wraparound club

Feeder schools & nurseries

Children attending these settings are given priority in this school's admissions.

Harpenden Academy

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Good

Links are derived from Ofsted registration addresses and published admission arrangements. Always confirm current arrangements with the school.

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How close did you need to live?

0.637miles

Last distance offered at Sir John Lawes School, year by year →

How places are decided at Sir John Lawes School

When there are more applications than places for 2027-28 (Year 7), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1Children looked after / previously looked after — Children looked after and children who were previously looked after, including those who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England, and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or a special guardianship order.
2Medical or social need — Children for whom it can be demonstrated that they have a particular medical or social need to go to that specific school, assessed by a Panel of school governors based on specific professional evidence.
3Sibling — Children who have a sibling at the school at the time of application, unless the sibling is in the last year of the normal age range of the school.
4Children of staff — Children of staff, provided the member of staff has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time of application, or is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
5Priority primary school — Children who, at the closing date for applications, attend the following priority primary school: Harpenden Academy.
6Nearest suitable school in priority area — Children who live in the priority area and for whom it is their nearest Hertfordshire maintained non-faith, co-educational, non-partially selective school or academy.
7Nearest in priority area — Children who live in the priority area who live nearest to the school.
8Distance outside priority area — Children living outside the priority area on the basis of distance, with those living nearest to the school given priority.

Sir John Lawes School: key facts

What did Ofsted judge Sir John Lawes School's overall effectiveness to be?: Ofsted judged Sir John Lawes School's overall effectiveness as Outstanding at its inspection in March 2023, on Ofsted's own scale.
How many pupils attend Sir John Lawes School?: Sir John Lawes School has 1,373 pupils on roll.
What ages does Sir John Lawes School take?: Sir John Lawes School admits pupils aged 11 to 18.
Where is Sir John Lawes School located?: Sir John Lawes School is located in Harpenden, AL5 4QP, Hertfordshire.
How do I apply to Sir John Lawes School?: Sir John Lawes School is a state school. In England you apply through the council where you live, using its common application form, even if the school is in another council area. The national closing date for secondary places is 31 October.
How close do you need to live to get into Sir John Lawes School?: On offer day for 2026-27 (Year 7), the furthest place offered at Sir John Lawes School was 0.637 miles from the school. That is the distance the last place reached in one year, not a boundary and not a guarantee — it moves with the number of applicants.
How are Year 7 places decided at Sir John Lawes School?: When Sir John Lawes School has more applications than places for 2027-28, they are offered in a published order of priority: 1. Children looked after / previously looked after — Children looked after and children who were previously looked after, including those who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England, and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or a special guardianship order; 2. Medical or social need — Children for whom it can be demonstrated that they have a particular medical or social need to go to that specific school, assessed by a Panel of school governors based on specific professional evidence; 3. Sibling — Children who have a sibling at the school at the time of application, unless the sibling is in the last year of the normal age range of the school, and 5 further criteria. The school offers 196 places at this entry point. Tie-break: These rules are applied in the order they are printed above. If more children qualify under a particular rule than there are places available, a tiebreak will be used by applying the next rule to those children. Where there is a need for a tie-breaker where two different addresses measure the same distance from a school, in the case of a block of flats for example the lower door number will be deemed nearest as logically this will be on the ground floor and therefore closer. If there are two identical addresses of separate applicants, the tie break will be random allocation.
What is the largest ethnic background at Sir John Lawes School?: According to the DfE School Census 2025-26, 61.2% of pupils at Sir John Lawes School are recorded as White British. The full ethnic breakdown across all groups is available on the Pupils tab.

Same phase, ranked by distance and how closely they match.

Explore nearby

See every school within walking distance, ranked by distance and inspection grade.

Schools near Harpenden station

Connected nurseries & schools

On-site nursery & childcare

Separately-registered childcare operating at this school's site, each with its own Ofsted record.

Stagecoach Harpenden

Wraparound club

Feeder schools & nurseries

Children attending these settings are given priority in this school's admissions.

Harpenden Academy

Primary

Good

Links are derived from Ofsted registration addresses and published admission arrangements. Always confirm current arrangements with the school.

Interested in this school?Register interest and we'll pass your details on if it joins School Atlas.Register interest

This school hasn't claimed its profile yet, so it can't receive enquiries here. Leave your details and we'll pass them on if the school joins School Atlas.

Sir John Lawes School

How close did you need to live?

How places are decided at Sir John Lawes School

Sir John Lawes School: key facts

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Sir John Lawes School

Connected nurseries & schools

On-site nursery & childcare

Feeder schools & nurseries

Nearby schools within 5 km

How close did you need to live?

How places are decided at Sir John Lawes School

Sir John Lawes School: key facts

Similar schools nearby

Explore nearby

Connected nurseries & schools

On-site nursery & childcare

Feeder schools & nurseries

Nearby schools within 5 km