The Grange Academy, Bushey Review 2026: Improving all through, with a clear classics thread

A school with a strong sense of direction matters most when families are deciding whether to back an improving option, rather than simply choosing the biggest name in the area. Here, the headline is consistency of practice. Clear routines, a defined culture (including the “Grange Academy Way”), and an emphasis on Knowledge, Aspiration and Respect are presented as the non negotiables that underpin learning and behaviour.

The most recent inspection provides a useful snapshot of the current trajectory. In the 12 and 13 November 2024 inspection, published on 13 January 2025, the school was graded Good for every judgement area, including sixth form provision.

Leadership information needs a small note for accuracy. The current principal is Ms Aziza Ajak, as shown on the school’s website and Hertfordshire’s school directory. The November 2024 inspection report lists a different principal at that time, which indicates a recent change in leadership since inspection.

The culture is deliberately structured, with an explicit set of expectations that students are taught and then held to. That matters because many families judge a secondary school first by whether it feels settled and safe day to day, and only then by results. Official evidence aligns with that focus, describing an inclusive, caring school where expectations and routines have improved behaviour and attitudes, and where students report feeling safe.

There is also a distinctive, slightly unusual thread running through the school’s identity. The house system is framed around Greek gods, and the school flags a “love of classics and Latin”. That shows up not just as branding, but as a signal that academic language and cultural literacy are actively valued, rather than treated as optional extras.

Pastoral structures are presented as layered rather than reliant on one person. The website describes a pastoral team including year leadership and behaviour and inclusion roles, alongside a safeguarding approach that emphasises confidence in raising concerns. For families weighing up school fit, that kind of visible scaffolding often correlates with quicker responses when issues arise.

Performance indicators here sit below the England average overall, based on the available GCSE and A level metrics, and that should be part of any honest shortlist.

At GCSE level, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 37.6 and Progress 8 is -0.29. The school’s average EBacc APS is 3.38, and 11.8% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in the EBacc measure.

In FindMySchool’s proprietary GCSE outcomes ranking (based on official data), the school is ranked 3,051st in England and 4th locally for the Bushey area. That position translates to below England average overall.

At A level, 19.59% of grades are A* to B, with 1.35% at A* and 2.7% at A. In FindMySchool’s proprietary A level outcomes ranking (based on official data), the school is ranked 2,431st in England and 5th locally for the Bushey area, again below England average overall.

The practical implication is straightforward. This can be a sensible choice for families prioritising culture, structure, and day to day stability, and who are comfortable supporting learning at home where needed, but it is not currently a results led option on the published exam measures.

The inspection evidence points to a school that has tightened the basics of classroom practice and curriculum planning, with clear improvements still working their way through to published outcomes. In particular, curriculum weaknesses were identified and addressed through trust level collaboration, with staff training and stronger routines supporting clearer explanations and better sequencing of knowledge.

Reading is positioned as a priority for access to the curriculum, including targeted support for students who arrive during the year and need help catching up. SEND support is also described as consistent in classrooms, with students accessing an ambitious curriculum through adaptations that staff understand and apply.

For families, the key question is consistency. The improvement priority identified in the inspection is the need for stronger assessment practice in some subjects, so that misconceptions are identified quickly and gaps do not linger. That is a very specific teaching lever. When it is done well, students who miss a key concept do not quietly fall behind; when it is uneven, progress becomes variable between classes or subjects.

Where Students Go Next

The school does not publish a detailed Russell Group breakdown on its website in the sources reviewed, so the most reliable indicators here are the destination and Oxbridge figures available.

For the 2023 to 2024 leaver cohort, 50% progressed to university. Apprenticeships account for 6%, with 25% entering employment and 4% progressing to further education.

Oxbridge data, while small in absolute numbers, provides a useful signal about stretch and application support at the top end. Across the measurement period, two applications were made, one offer was received, and one student accepted a place.

A sensible way to interpret those figures is as an emerging pipeline rather than an established one. For ambitious students, particularly those who want strong guidance on next steps, the quality of the careers and enrichment structure becomes more important than raw historic outcomes.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through Hertfordshire County Council. The school’s admissions information indicates that secondary admissions for September 2026 entry open in September 2025, with applications made via the local authority.

For Hertfordshire secondary transfer into September 2026, the local authority deadline for on time applications is 31 October 2025, with national allocation day on 02 March 2026.

Open events are published with specific dates for the September 2026 intake. The school lists an Open Evening on Tuesday 23 September 2025 (17:00 to 19:30) and a Year 6 Open Morning on Thursday 02 October (09:15), with registration described as helpful or required depending on the event.

For sixth form entry (Year 12), the school states that applications for 2026 to 2027 entry open from November 2025, with interviews for both internal and external applicants before conditional offers are made.

One operational point is worth adding for families trying to be precise. If you are comparing schools where distance cut offs are tight, use the FindMySchool Map Search to check your likely travel patterns and your realistic alternatives, then keep your shortlist live as local authority guidance updates.

Pastoral care is presented as a combination of routine and targeted support. The inspection evidence describes a calm and purposeful learning environment where most students behave well and where incidents of poor behaviour have reduced and are now infrequent, alongside a small number who still struggle with resilience when learning becomes challenging.

The school’s approach to personal development includes PSHE and assemblies that cover safety, relationships, and wider cultural awareness. The website also highlights student voice through representative structures, which matters most when it is connected to real decision making rather than tokenism.

Safeguarding is a strength on the most recent evidence, and the school’s website positions safeguarding as a shared responsibility with clear routes for students and families to raise concerns.

Extracurricular and enrichment are not presented as an optional add on, but as part of a four pillar enrichment model that runs from Year 7 through sixth form. The strongest evidence of distinctiveness is in the named and credential linked activities.

Examples include Chess Club and a Modern Languages Film Club, plus a Science Club linked to STEM Crest Awards. These are useful indicators because they are specific, and because they point to enrichment that builds academic habits, not just recreation.

Facilities support that breadth. The school describes a fitness centre, a sports hall with a climbing wall, a floodlit multi use games area, and plans for an all weather cricket pitch. In arts, the school references a lecture theatre and a specialist drama studio, with regular music events and collaboration with the Purcell School of Music.

Trips are also used as a character building tool, including a Year 7 bushcraft trip and a programme of visits that has included theatre and civic institutions such as Parliament and the Supreme Court. For many students, these are the moments that make school feel bigger than lessons, and they can be especially valuable in a sixth form context where personal statements and interviews reward real experiences.

The published school day runs from 08:30, with a structured timetable through lunch and a final period finishing at 15:00 or 15:10, depending on the day structure.

Wraparound provision is not a standard expectation at secondary, but families relying on earlier drop off or late collection should check directly what is available beyond the clubs timetable, particularly for younger year groups. Travel wise, the London Road setting suits local families who want a straightforward daily commute within Bushey and nearby areas.

• Outcomes remain below England average on published measures. GCSE and A level indicators, plus the FindMySchool rankings, point to a school still in the improvement phase rather than one already performing at the top tier. Families should weigh how much they value trajectory and culture compared with historic results.

• Teaching consistency is a stated improvement area. The inspection identifies uneven use of assessment strategies in some subjects, which can affect how quickly misconceptions are spotted and addressed. This is important for students who need frequent checks for understanding to stay confident.

• Resilience and study habits may need reinforcement for some students. Evidence indicates a small number of students can disengage when work is challenging. Families who can support routines at home, and who want the school to actively teach study skills, may find the approach aligns well over time.

This is a structured, improvement focused secondary with sixth form, and a clear sense of identity that includes a visible classics thread, a defined culture, and a strong emphasis on personal development. Best suited to families who value clear routines, inclusive ethos, and breadth through enrichment, and who are comfortable backing a school whose published outcomes are still catching up with the improvements described. The main hurdle is not admission selectivity so much as deciding whether the current performance profile matches your child’s needs and your appetite for progress over time.