Sir John Lawes School

In a Hertfordshire town where house prices reflect the quality of schools, Sir John Lawes has earned its reputation as one of the area's most sought-after comprehensives. The school's 2023 Ofsted inspection awarded Outstanding across every category, a judgement that reflects both academic results and the positive culture cultivated over eight decades. With approximately 1,380 students aged 11 to 18, this is a large school that manages to feel purposeful rather than overwhelming. Forty per cent of sixth form leavers progress to Russell Group universities, while the Progress 8 score of +0.79 indicates students make substantially above-average progress from their starting points. The school is oversubscribed, with nearly four applications for every Year 7 place, making proximity to the school essential for those hoping to secure entry.

The school opened in 1939 under its first name, The Manland School. It traces its origins to a pledge by Sir John Bennet Lawes, who founded Rothamsted Research (one of the world's oldest agricultural research centres) and helped put Harpenden on the global map. In 1982, after more than four decades as Manland, it was renamed in his honour.

The wartime construction is evident in the solid brick buildings with reinforced basements, designed when conflict loomed. Building was completed in summer 1939, but by September, when the school was to open, the Second World War had been declared. The design, with its thick solid walls, reflects the public's wariness of the impending conflict. Arthur Watts took up duties as the first Headmaster of Manland Common Senior Elementary School, though the opening had to be delayed for a week until 21 September 1939 to arrange for accommodation of evacuees from the Hugh Myddleton School in London.

The site has expanded thoughtfully over the decades, with modern additions including a purpose-built sixth form centre featuring a comfortable study area with computers, a silent study room, and four dedicated classrooms. A fully functional TV studio supports media courses at GCSE and BTEC level. The grounds include a reasonably sized field large enough for two football pitches and a cricket pitch, alongside a large gymnasium, six all-weather tennis courts, and an all-weather hockey pitch.

Philip Newbery has led the school since 2021, having previously served as deputy head at the same institution. He attended Charles Darwin School (Kent) and completed a four-year teaching degree via De Montfort University in Bedford, then gained experience in state schools at different stages of their Ofsted journey. Earlier, at Nicholas Breakspear School (St Albans), he moved from teaching PE into a director-of-sport role and was part of a team that shifted the school from special measures to Good in 16 months. When the deputy headship came up at Sir John Lawes, he secured the position and was given a clear brief: strengthen culture and results, and spread strong practice across the school.

His approach centres on culture and visibility; he stands at the front door four days a week at the start and end of the school day, knowing almost all students by name. Weekly Instagram videos keep parents informed on everything from building works to enrichment activities; recent topics range from a new staircase update to the Trust chess competition and Oracy Week. The atmosphere he has cultivated is one where academic ambition coexists with genuine warmth. Staff, students, and parents describe the school as aspirational, ambitious, and positive.

The house system divides students into seven houses: Austen (Red), Britten (Yellow), Hepworth (Green), King (Silver), Lawes (Orange), Newton (Blue), and Ryder (Purple), named after Jane Austen, Benjamin Britten, Barbara Hepworth, Martin Luther King Jr., John Bennet Lawes, Isaac Newton, and Sue Ryder respectively. House competitions throughout the year culminate in Sports Day, with results feeding into an annual house cup announced at the final assembly on the last day of the academic year. This structure creates smaller communities within the larger school, giving students a sense of identity and healthy competition.

As part of the Scholars' Education Trust, the school benefits from shared resources and expertise across partner institutions including Samuel Ryder Academy, Robert Barclay Academy, Harpenden Academy, and Priory Academy Dunstable. The consortium arrangement extends to the sixth form through the Harpenden Consortium, where students can access subjects at partner schools such as St George's, Katharine Warington and Roundwood Park, with options including Chinese, Spanish, politics A-level, and BTECs in performing arts, sport, IT and food science.

Academic outcomes place Sir John Lawes firmly among the strongest state schools in England. At GCSE in 2024, 41.9% of grades were 9-7, with an Attainment 8 score of 62.3. The Progress 8 score of +0.79 indicates students make substantially greater progress than expected based on their Key Stage 2 starting points. This is a school where the average grade is a B, with leadership aiming for B+ as the target.

The school ranks 576th in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in the top 13% of schools in England and 3rd among schools in Harpenden. This positions Sir John Lawes above the England average, comfortably within the top quarter of secondary schools. In 2025, 47% of grades achieved 9-7, with 77% achieving grade 5+ in both English and maths.

At A-level, results are equally strong. In 2024, 69.4% of grades achieved A*-B, with 41.2% at A*/A. The school ranks 347th in England for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), again placing it in the top 13% of sixth forms in England and 2nd in Harpenden. In 2025, 43% of A-level grades were A*/A, with 75% at A*-B, and the average BTEC grade was distinction.

The EBacc average point score of 5.6 exceeds the England average of 4.08, reflecting strong performance across the core academic subjects. Just over half of students take triple science GCSE; in 2024, some achieved the highest marks available in the UK in biology and physics. English language and computer science also landed around the 90th centile. However, just over a third of girls take triple science and only 7% take computer science, an area the school may be looking to address.

The curriculum follows a traditional structure with some distinctive features. In Year 7, everyone starts with French and German; Spanish is available later (from Year 9) as an ab initio option. Setting for mathematics and English begins from Year 7, informed by CAT4 tests on entry. Around half of students take a language GCSE, with solid numbers continuing to A-level. Language exchanges for German students and cultural trips for French students enrich the provision.

Year 9 includes non-examined curriculum options such as social sciences, media and film, architecture, and animal studies, the latter supported by rescue chickens on site. The natural history GCSE joined the curriculum in 2025, alongside established options including food technology, product design, media studies, and textiles. A short course GCSE in religious studies is compulsory in Year 10.

Students typically take between eight and ten GCSEs, followed by three A-levels in the sixth form. The most popular A-level subjects are biology, chemistry, economics, and maths. Entry to A-level courses generally requires at least Grade 6 at GCSE in the chosen subject, or in relevant subjects where specified. The Extended Project Qualification is available to sixth formers with five Grade 8s at GCSE, with around 12% taking this additional qualification.

BTEC qualifications run alongside A-levels, with Level 3 courses in business, media, and health and social care (the latter based at Roundwood Park). A triple media BTEC is taken by small numbers. This dual provision allows students to combine academic and vocational pathways, and the school requires an average point score of 3.88 for BTEC entry.

Teaching is characterised by clear expectations and structured lessons. Classrooms are spacious with an abundance of computers, and science labs have been recently refurbished. All students use compulsory iPads as part of their learning. The school runs intervention sessions during lunchtimes, after school, and on Saturdays in the lead-up to examinations, with staff marking practice papers during holidays. The head often attends these sessions, even at weekends.

Unusually, there are no written school reports. Instead, grades are shared termly, with online parents’ evenings taking place annually. This approach reflects a belief that teacher time is better spent planning great lessons. Teachers are expected to refer to pupils specifically during these sessions.

Over 90% of sixth form leavers secure their first-choice destination (university or an apprenticeship). Around 40% progress to Russell Group universities, with Nottingham, Liverpool, Leeds and Birmingham among the most popular choices. In the 2023-24 academic year, 70% of leavers progressed to university, with 16% entering employment and 3% starting apprenticeships.

The Oxbridge programme is well-established and highly successful. The school maintains partnerships with Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge (which had Professor Stephen Hawking as a fellow and counts John Venn and Francis Crick as alumni), and Balliol College, Oxford. Several Year 12 students have enrolled in Balliol's access programme. Trips to both universities begin in Year 10, helping students understand collegiate life and degree structures.

Year 12 students predicted A grades visit various Oxbridge colleges and faculties. The school provides entrance exam tutoring, maintains reading lists for wider study, and offers interview practice for successful candidates. A collection of Oxford past entrance papers is maintained, and the school's JSTOR account supports student research. In the measurement period, 17 students applied to Oxbridge, with one securing a place at Cambridge. Five students secured Oxbridge places in 2025, along with two medics. Recent successful applicants have studied psychological and behavioural sciences, modern and medieval languages, Italian and Spanish, natural sciences, and economics.

Beyond traditional university routes, the school has won national recognition for promoting apprenticeships. Prestigious degree apprenticeships with employers such as JP Morgan, Deloitte, TUI, and Willmott Dixon feature among recent destinations. The occasional student heads overseas too; for example, one took a US football scholarship in 2024.

Applications are coordinated through Hertfordshire County Council. The Published Admissions Number is 196 places for Year 7, with the application deadline falling on 31 October each year. The school is oversubscribed, with recent admissions rounds seeing 704 applications for 183 offers, a ratio of approximately 3.85 applications per place. In the year this review was researched, there were 276 first-preference applicants for 196 places.

After looked-after children and those with EHCPs naming the school, priority is given to siblings, then children attending Harpenden Academy (within the Scholars Education Trust) at the application closing date, then distance from the school. Siblings account for almost half of intake in some years. No supplementary form is required. Hertfordshire residents must complete the Common Application Form through the county council's online system; families outside Hertfordshire apply through their own local authority.

Open evening slots are snapped up almost instantaneously, with prebooking essential. Small-group tours are available as alternatives. Many prospective students visit multiple times before joining, watching dress rehearsals for shows and becoming familiar with the site. The Open Evening for September 2025 entry was held in October 2024; prospective families should monitor the school website for future dates.

Sixth form entry requires an average point score of 4.5 across GCSEs, with Grade 6 in chosen A-level subjects. BTEC courses require an average point score of 3.88. Around 40 external students join from surrounding schools each year, some from independent schools seeking specific subject combinations or drawn by the outstanding reputation. Applications close in late January, with the 2026 deadline set for 30 January. The Post-16 Information Evening for prospective sixth formers is scheduled for 15 January 2026.

Students in Year 7 benefit from a structured induction programme designed to build positive habits from the start. Primary school visits precede an optional camp over the summer holidays, allowing new students to meet peers before term begins. The first half-term focuses on expectations and positive behaviour, with students trained in the school's values and given frequent rewards before starting their full academic journey after October half-term. A residential trip consolidates the year group.

The school's values centre on respect, responsibility, and aspiration. Hand-written cards from staff are sent home to tell students they are proud of them, reinforcing a culture of positivity. Sixth formers are expected to give back to the school, modelling success for younger students.

The school employs a counsellor on site two days per week, with no waiting list for appointments. Students can self-refer via the student services manager. A CAMHS-linked mental health support officer visits each week, and staff are highly experienced in making referrals. Twelve staff are trained as mental health first aiders. Three trained Emotional Literacy Support Assistants deliver six to eight sessions per term for students requiring targeted support. The wellness room, open to all at lunchtimes, provides a peaceful haven for quiet music, meditation, or simply some calm.

Just over 12.5% of students are on the SEND register, with 20 holding EHCPs and further applications underway. The full-time SENDCo collaborates with colleagues across the consortium and has access to an educational psychologist shared across the four consortium schools on a fortnightly rota, supporting quality-first teaching. Twelve teaching assistants, all trained mentors, support students in lessons, with the emphasis on classroom inclusion rather than withdrawal. For those pursuing reduced pathways, intensive literacy or numeracy is provided individually. Access arrangements are coordinated by a dedicated staff member; where exam support includes a laptop, students may also receive touch-typing support. The site is wheelchair accessible, and the school has experience working with students with visual or audio impairment.

Behaviour is managed through a common-sense approach rather than a rigid consequence ladder. Smartphones are permitted but the rule is clear: see it, hear it, or use it, and it is confiscated. Vaping and smoking are rare. Student voice is strong, with each year group electing representatives across strands such as charity, diversity, wellbeing and sustainability. Student requests have driven changes too: girls' football and rugby were introduced, and a new enclosed staircase was built to make it safer for younger pupils to move between lessons.

The school offers over 100 clubs at lunchtime, before school, and after school. The one-hour lunch break provides time for meaningful participation. Pre-school clubs in badminton, netball, basketball, and girls' football start at 7:30am for early risers.

Music

Music is a major strength and one of the school's signature departments. Ensembles include the Concert Band, Jazz Band, Junior Jazz Band, Up and Coming Band (beginner-friendly, but still performing at big events such as the Trust concert alongside more advanced groups), Brass Group, Saxophone Ensemble, Rock Group, Guitar Group, and Strings Group.

Choral options span Junior Choir, Senior Choir, Chamber Choir, and Gospel and Soul groups. Fourteen peripatetic music teachers visit weekly. Year 7 follows an approach where all students are treated as musicians, with keyboards, ukuleles, and singing forming the foundation. In Year 8, students explore jazz and blues; Hamilton is used as a reference point for how music can carry history, and pupils create their own short historical-rap pieces.

The annual music tour, most recently to Belgium, attracts around 140 students and is described as inclusive and amazing. Students speak warmly of the atmosphere in the department and the friendships they form with teachers.

Drama

Drama thrives at Sir John Lawes. Recent whole-school productions have ranged from The Curious Incident to School of Rock and James and the Giant Peach. Non-thespians contribute via lighting, set design and programme artwork. Drama club welcomes students of all experience levels, with opportunities to audition for the junior school play.

Sport

The PE department keeps the sporting curriculum deliberately broad, aiming for every student to leave with at least one activity they want to stick with beyond school. Options include fitness, netball, trampolining, hockey, lacrosse, football, rugby and dance. Year 7 classes are mixed ability and gender, with setting introduced from Year 8. Football (crowned district and county champions 2024) and netball are described as very competitive.

Teams compete at district and county level, with some matches on Saturdays. Students say PE staff give up considerable time for them and describe the department as friendly. An annual tour to the Netherlands provides opportunities for football and netball players in Years 9 and 10. The annual Gym and Dance Display showcases work from those clubs.

STEM

The science faculty runs an Eco Garden club, robotics, and astronomy clubs alongside the Young Engineers Scheme. Nine 3D printers support the design and technology department, described as impressive for the incredible work produced. When researchers visited, a miniature Porsche 911 was forming on one of the printers. A fully functional TV studio supports media courses.

Academic Enrichment

The debating society, chess and go club, creative writing club, geography club, and diversity forum operate alongside subject-specific societies. Film club and art club provide creative outlets. Young Enterprise runs in the sixth form, where students create and run their own businesses. World Challenge expeditions have included Borneo. An American exchange programme and trips to New York broaden horizons. Residential subject-specific courses and leadership development opportunities round out the offering.

Confidence is built through initiatives such as events where a cross-section of students creates stands in the hall showcasing their interests, allowing the rest of the school to learn what people are into — from football loyalties to a pet tortoise.

The school day runs from 8:40am (registration) to 3:30pm, with six 50-minute lessons of 50 minutes each daily. Morning registration runs until 8:50am, with a morning break from 10:30am to 10:50am. Lunch is a full hour, from 12:30pm to 1:50pm, with staggered sittings for younger and older students.

Transport links are good. Harpenden station, served by Thameslink with direct trains to central London in around 31 minutes, is within walking distance for most students. Bus routes 321 and 357 stop nearby, with Lyndhurst Drive the closest stop at six minutes' walk. A dedicated school bus (UNO 657) starts at Flamstead Village School at 7:30am and picks up at Redbourn, Southdown, and The George in Harpenden. The SaverCard scheme offers half-price travel for Hertfordshire students aged 11 to 18.

Competition for places. With nearly four applications for every Year 7 place, securing entry is not straightforward. Families considering a move to the area should research distances carefully and be prepared for the possibility of disappointment.

Affluent context. Harpenden is a prosperous commuter town, and while 10% of students receive pupil premium funding, families from less affluent backgrounds may notice economic differences among their peers. The school works hard to ensure all students feel a sense of belonging and that achievements are recognised regardless of background.

Academic expectations. The culture is one where success is celebrated and intervention sessions are the norm. Saturday sessions and holiday marking demonstrate the commitment expected from both staff and students. Those who prefer a more relaxed approach to examinations may find the expectations demanding.

Sixth form consortium. Some A-level subjects are taught at partner schools, requiring travel between sites. Students often welcome the change of scene and the chance to meet more people, but it demands organisation and independence.

Gender balance in STEM. While overall science results are excellent, the proportion of girls taking triple science and computer science is notably lower than boys. Families with daughters interested in STEM may wish to discuss this with the school.

Sir John Lawes delivers on its promise of academic excellence within a state comprehensive framework. The Outstanding Ofsted judgement reflects genuine strength across teaching, behaviour, personal development, and leadership. Results rival those of selective schools, yet the ethos remains inclusive and positive. The range of extracurricular activities, particularly in music, provides opportunities usually associated with the independent sector, while the house system and strong pastoral support create a sense of community within a large school.

Best suited to families in Harpenden seeking a large, well-resourced comprehensive with high academic expectations and strong progression to Russell Group universities. The main challenge lies in securing a place.