Onslow St Audrey’s School Review 2026: An inclusive Hatfield secondary with a growing sixth form

Onslow St Audrey’s School is a mixed 11–18 comprehensive in Hatfield, part of Danes Educational Trust. Its most recent inspection judged the school Good across all areas, including sixth form provision, with safeguarding confirmed as effective.

This is a school that has put visible energy into tightening routines, rebuilding curriculum coherence, and broadening enrichment. The inspection report highlights a calm, respectful tone and a clearer set of behavioural expectations than in the past, alongside a curriculum that is now better designed to help pupils and students make steadier progress.

The strongest headline is inclusion. Official evidence describes a welcoming school where pupils from many backgrounds and with varied needs learn together, and where diversity is a normal part of daily life, including 47 languages spoken across the community.

Leadership is also a key part of the current story. Julie Jones is the headteacher, and the inspection report states she took up post in September 2022. The same report links recent improvements to significant changes in curriculum design and behaviour systems, supported by senior leaders and the trust.

Student voice is not treated as a token. The inspection points to structured opportunities for pupils and students to influence day to day experience, including councils that bring forward practical suggestions, with at least one example of an idea being adopted into routine practice.

A note on origins: local historical material describes the current school as created in 1985 through the amalgamation of St Audrey’s School and Onslow School. This is useful context for families who hear older names used locally, but it is the modern 11–18 offer, and recent improvement work, that matter most for day to day experience now.

Performance data paints a challenging picture at GCSE, with signs of a school rebuilding momentum rather than operating at a consistently high level yet.

GCSE results and ranking

• Ranked 3362nd in England and 4th in Hatfield for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data).

• This sits below England average overall, placing it within the lower performance band nationally.

The underlying measures reinforce that message:

• Attainment 8 score: 36.6

• Progress 8 score: -0.36

• EBacc APS: 3.18, compared with an England average of 4.08

• Pupils achieving grades 5 or above in the EBacc: 7.4

Taken together, these figures suggest the school has been working against a backdrop of weaker outcomes, and that the quality of curriculum and teaching consistency is central to improvement. The recent inspection narrative supports that direction of travel, highlighting a better designed curriculum and clearer behavioural routines that are enabling pupils to focus more reliably on learning.

A-level results and ranking

• Ranked 1957th in England and 4th in Hatfield for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data).

• This also sits below typical England outcomes.

Grade distribution:

• A*: 2.9%

• A: 17.39%

• B: 10.14%

• A*–B: 30.43%, compared with an England average of 47.2%

The implication for families is straightforward. The sixth form is a credible pathway for many students, and it is described as growing in popularity, but students targeting the most competitive courses will usually need highly consistent attainment and strong subject specific support.

The most useful insight here is how the school is trying to make learning more dependable across classrooms.

Curriculum work is described as deliberate and structured. In particular, the inspection report links improvements to coherent planning in most subjects, with knowledge building over time, alongside subject related activities intended to raise engagement and aspiration. That matters for pupils who need clarity and sequencing rather than lessons that feel disconnected.

Reading is treated as a whole school priority. Evidence points to early identification of pupils who need support on entry, targeted help from skilled staff, and a wider reading culture that includes adult read aloud during form time using carefully chosen short stories to build vocabulary and help pupils engage with wider social and wellbeing themes.

Two improvement areas are also clearly signposted. First, checking understanding is not always systematic, which can leave some pupils stuck while the lesson moves on. Second, staff do not always have sufficiently precise strategies to support pupils with special educational needs and or disabilities consistently within lessons. These are practical issues that families should ask about directly, for example, how teachers are being supported to adapt in real time, and how SEND strategies are communicated and monitored.

Where Students Go Next

This section is strongest when it is specific about pathways, not just aspiration.

From the most recent published destination data (2023/24 leavers, cohort size 56):

• 46% progressed to university

• 9% started apprenticeships

• 29% entered employment

These figures suggest a mixed pattern, with a meaningful university pipeline alongside substantial movement into work and apprenticeships. That variety can be a strength for a comprehensive sixth form, provided careers guidance is active and personalised.

On high tariff routes, the recorded Oxbridge pipeline is small but present. Over the measurement period, 2 students applied to Cambridge, 1 received an offer, and 1 accepted a place. This is not a defining feature of the school’s identity, but it signals that students with the strongest profiles can be supported into very competitive applications when appropriately advised and prepared.

The inspection evidence also highlights careers advice and work experience as part of how pupils and sixth form students understand options beyond school, including university and alternative routes.

Onslow St Audrey’s is its own admitting authority, but Hertfordshire County Council coordinates admissions and applies the school’s rules within the local coordinated scheme. The Published Admission Number for Year 7 is 150.

The admissions policy for 2026/27 sets out a clear hierarchy:

1. Children looked after and previously looked after

2. Siblings

3. Children of staff (defined conditions apply)

4. Priority primary school places, for children attending De Havilland Primary School for more than two years at the closing date

5. Priority area, nearest appropriate Hertfordshire maintained non faith, co educational, non partially selective school

6. Priority area, distance

7. Outside priority area, distance

Two practical points stand out:

• No supplementary information form is required.

• The policy references a closing date of 31 October for applications, aligned to the standard secondary transfer timetable.

Demand has been competitive in recent years. Hertfordshire’s directory page reports:

• 2025: 182 applications for 150 places offered

• 2024: 194 applications, with 187 offers recorded (offers can exceed PAN in some circumstances, such as successful appeals or fair access placements)

The same official page sets out the school’s priority area, listing parishes including Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Welwyn, and others. Families relying on priority area rules should read the determined policy carefully and confirm how “nearest appropriate school” is defined for their address.

Open events follow a familiar pattern. The local authority directory lists an open evening in mid September and open mornings in late September to early October, with booking required for open mornings. Dates change annually, so families should check the latest calendar before planning.

A calm baseline matters in any comprehensive, because it is the platform for learning and wellbeing. Evidence points to sensible behaviour in lessons, respectful relationships around the site, and tailored support for pupils who need additional help managing behaviour.

Support structures are described as practical and targeted rather than abstract. The inspection report references:

• The Drive, as an internal support option for pupils who find it difficult to succeed in the main setting

• An intensive course for pupils at early stages of learning English, designed to assess learning and pastoral needs in a supportive environment

• Specific support approaches for pupils with low attendance, tailored to the underlying barriers

For parents, the best questions to ask at open events are operational: how pupils are identified for targeted help, how families are kept involved, and what success looks like for pupils returning from internal support or external alternative provision.

The enrichment offer is described as growing, with a mix of sport, academic clubs, and communication focused activities. Concrete examples cited in official evidence include:

• Football

• Science club

• Public speaking

Leadership roles appear accessible rather than reserved for a small group. The inspection highlights opportunities for pupils to take responsibility through councils and learner voice structures, which can be particularly positive for pupils who find confidence through contribution rather than pure academic performance.

For families comparing local schools, the detail that matters is participation: how many pupils attend enrichment weekly, how transport and timings work, and how the sixth form contributes to wider school culture. The inspection describes sixth formers as ambitious role models for younger pupils, which is one of the most valuable contributions a sixth form can make to an 11–16 experience.

Transport access is one of the school’s practical strengths for commuting families. A Hertfordshire recruitment document states the school is less than 10 minutes’ walk from Hatfield main line station, with access to major road networks.

School day timings, term dates, and any after school study provision can change year to year. Families should confirm current start and finish times, and the structure of the sixth form day, directly through the school’s published handbook and communications.

• GCSE outcomes are currently below typical England levels. The Progress 8 score of -0.36 and Attainment 8 score of 36.6 indicate that outcomes have been a key improvement priority. Families should ask how progress is tracked, and how gaps are addressed in real time in lessons.

• Consistency of classroom checking and SEND strategies is still developing. Official evidence notes that teachers do not always check understanding systematically, and that strategies for supporting pupils with SEND are not always precise enough for day to day teaching. This is worth exploring if your child needs strong scaffolding or clear adaptive teaching.

• Admissions depend on defined rules, not informal catchment assumptions. Priority area and “nearest appropriate school” rules can be misunderstood. Families should read the determined policy and verify how it applies to their home address.

• Sixth form outcomes are also below typical England results. A*–B at 30.43% is below the England average of 47.2%. Students aiming for highly competitive courses should discuss subject level support, enrichment, and references early.

Onslow St Audrey’s School is best understood as an improving comprehensive that has worked to strengthen behaviour routines and curriculum clarity, with a clear commitment to inclusion and a sixth form that is building confidence and popularity. It will suit families who value a mixed ability community, a structured approach to expectations, and a school that provides multiple post 16 routes, including apprenticeships and employment as well as university. The main decision point is whether the current trajectory and support systems match your child’s needs, particularly if they require very consistent classroom checking or have significant learning support requirements.