Samuel Ryder Academy Review 2026: An all-through school with strong primary outcomes and an unusually cohesive culture

All-through schools can feel like two institutions sharing an address. Samuel Ryder Academy’s defining feature is that it tries hard not to be that. Its “one school” identity shows up in practical ways, with cross-phase routines and older students acting as visible role models for younger pupils. The latest Ofsted inspection, carried out in June 2022, judged the school Good overall, with Outstanding for personal development, leadership and management, and sixth form provision.

Academically, the primary phase is the headline. In 2024, 84.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the England average of 62%. Reading, maths and grammar, punctuation and spelling scaled scores (108, 107, 109) point to consistently secure basics. At secondary, outcomes look more middle-of-the-pack by England standards, but Progress 8 is positive at +0.35, suggesting students make above-average progress from their starting points. Sixth form results sit broadly in line with the middle range nationally, with 52.43% of A-level grades at A* to B in the most recent dataset. (All performance figures in this review come from official outcomes summarised in the input dataset.)

The school is part of Scholars’ Education Trust, and is significantly oversubscribed at key entry points, especially Year 7.

The tone here is purposeful, but not austere. One advantage of an all-through setting is that expectations can be introduced early and then reinforced year after year, rather than being reset at each transition point. Samuel Ryder leans into that continuity. There is clear evidence of an age-spanning community culture: younger pupils and older students share a site, and staff set out to make that feel normal rather than unusual.

That cross-age feel matters most in the secondary years, where many families worry about anonymity. In an all-through model, older students are constantly visible, whether that is as mentors, helpers, or simply as examples of how the school expects people to behave. The June 2022 inspection notes calm lessons and a consistent behavioural climate, with poor behaviour addressed quickly and discriminatory language not accepted.

The same report also highlights a strong emphasis on personal development across the age range, including structured provision that begins in early years and runs through to sixth form. Taken together, this suggests a school where routines and culture are designed, taught, and maintained, rather than left to chance.

A final contextual point that helps explain the school’s identity: Samuel Ryder Academy opened as an academy in September 2012, and its early years involved substantial improvement work. That history tends to produce a school that is explicit about expectations and consistent about systems, because it has had to be.

Because this is an all-through school, the most helpful way to read the data is by phase.

Primary phase

Primary outcomes are notably strong. In 2024:

• 84.67% met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, versus the England average of 62%.

• At the higher standard across reading, writing and maths, 30% achieved this level, compared with the England average of 8%.

• Science is also strong, with 92% meeting the expected standard (England average 82%).

• Scaled scores were 108 in reading (England average is typically 100), 107 in maths, and 109 in grammar, punctuation and spelling.

On the FindMySchool ranking, the primary phase is ranked 1955th in England and 16th in St Albans. This places it above the England average and comfortably within the top quarter of schools in England. (These are proprietary FindMySchool rankings based on official data.)

The implication for families is straightforward. If your child is entering Reception or moving through Key Stage 2, the evidence points to a high-expectations primary experience where a large proportion of pupils reach and exceed age-related standards.

GCSE phase

At GCSE, the overall picture is more mixed, in a way that is common for schools serving a broad intake.

• Attainment 8 is 50.4.

• Progress 8 is +0.35, indicating above-average progress from starting points.

• The EBacc average point score is 4.32, compared with an England figure of 4.08.

• The percentage achieving grades 5 or above in the EBacc is 15.6.

On the FindMySchool ranking for GCSE outcomes, the school is ranked 1562nd in England and 10th in St Albans, which places it in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). (These are proprietary FindMySchool rankings based on official data.)

What this usually means in practice is that outcomes are not driven solely by selecting the highest prior attainers. Instead, the school appears to add value across a range of starting points, which is consistent with the positive Progress 8.

Sixth form

Sixth form results sit in a similar “broadly typical by England standards” range, with some strengths.

• 7.77% of grades are A*

• 11.17% of grades are A

• 33.5% of grades are B

• 52.43% of grades are A* to B overall, compared with an England benchmark of 47.2%

The FindMySchool A-level ranking places the sixth form 1076th in England and 7th in St Albans, aligning with the middle 35% of sixth forms in England. (These are proprietary FindMySchool rankings based on official data.)

For families, the key question is fit. A sixth form that is strong on personal development and guidance can suit students who want a supportive, structured route into university, apprenticeships, or employment, even if it is not primarily an “exam specialist” sixth form.

The most distinctive teaching feature, evidenced in the June 2022 inspection report, is the way the school uses its all-through structure as a curriculum advantage. Primary-aged pupils benefit from specialist subject teaching and access to secondary facilities, and primary and secondary staff share expertise rather than working as two separate schools.

Curriculum planning appears systematic. Subject plans are described as detailed, with knowledge sequenced so that pupils build understanding as they move through the school. Reading is positioned as a priority across phases, supported by staff training and a consistent approach to phonics and intervention where needed.

There is also a clear emphasis on oracy, meaning structured spoken language work that helps pupils and students explain ideas confidently. In day-to-day terms, this tends to show up in more deliberate classroom talk, clearer modelling of academic language, and explicit expectations around how students explain and justify answers.

A realistic caveat, also noted formally, is consistency in assessment practice. While much assessment is effective, a minority of teaching does not use assessment as intended, which can reduce the usefulness of feedback for some pupils. This is an operational issue rather than a philosophical one, but it matters for families whose children rely on precise feedback to stay on track.

Because this is an all-through school, “next steps” means several things: transition from primary to secondary, and progression after Year 11 and Year 13.

Staying on site from Year 6 to Year 7

A key benefit of an all-through model is continuity. Many pupils will move from Year 6 into Year 7 on the same site, with familiar systems and a known setting. The determined admissions policy confirms that Year 7 intake planning assumes internal transfer, with additional Year 7 places available for external applicants.

Post-16 pathways

For 2023 to 2024 leavers (cohort size 73), the destination picture is:

• 66% progressed to university

• 3% progressed to further education

• 3% started apprenticeships

• 18% went into employment

These figures suggest that most students take a university route, with a meaningful minority moving directly into work. It is also consistent with a sixth form that supports multiple pathways rather than a single university-only narrative.

Oxbridge

Oxbridge numbers are modest, but they exist. In the measurement period, there were 2 applications, 1 offer, and 1 acceptance (Cambridge). The significance here is less about scale and more about possibility: students with the right profile and support can make competitive applications, but this is not a destination pipeline that defines the sixth form.

Admissions matter here because demand is high, and the school’s all-through structure changes how places are allocated at different ages.

Reception entry (age 4)

Reception admission is 60 places per year. The school is oversubscribed. In the most recent dataset provided, there were 135 applications for 60 offers, a ratio of 2.25 applications per place. (This is consistent with the local authority’s recent published figures as well.)

For Hertfordshire primary admissions for September 2026 entry, key dates published by the local authority include:

• Online system opens: 03 November 2025

• Deadline to apply: 15 January 2026

• National allocation day: 16 April 2026

Year 7 entry (age 11)

Year 7 admissions are more nuanced because internal transfer reduces the number of external places. The determined policy states that Year 7 intake is 205 in total, and that 145 places are available for external applicants, with remaining places assumed to be taken by pupils already on roll in Year 6.

Demand is very high. you provided, there were 714 applications for 145 offers, equating to 4.92 applications per place. That is the clearest indicator of competitiveness.

The school’s oversubscription criteria broadly mirror Hertfordshire practice, and include priority in this order (summarised):

• Looked-after and previously looked-after children

• Medical or social need (with a high evidence threshold)

• Sibling priority

• Children of staff

• Priority area and nearest suitable school criteria, then distance-based allocation

For Hertfordshire secondary admissions for September 2026 entry, the local authority’s published key dates include:

• Online system opens: 01 September 2025

• Deadline to apply: 31 October 2025

• National allocation day: 02 March 2026

Families comparing options should use the FindMySchoolMap Search to check practical proximity and realistic access, especially because oversubscription levels can change materially year to year.

Sixth form entry (age 16)

Sixth form admissions are handled differently, and the policy confirms that students can be admitted at 16+ if they meet the entry requirements for their chosen programme of study. Samuel Ryder also participates in the Alban Learning Partners collaboration across local sixth forms, which can broaden post-16 opportunities and guidance.

Pastoral provision is a clear strength on the most recent inspection evidence. Personal development is rated at the highest level in the June 2022 inspection, and the report describes a culture where pupils trust staff, bullying is dealt with quickly, and differences are respected.

The school also appears to take PSHE seriously, using a coherent programme linked to form time and assemblies, and maintaining this approach from early years through to sixth form. This kind of joined-up structure tends to work well in all-through settings because messages are consistent: younger pupils learn the foundations early, and older students revisit and deepen them with age-appropriate content.

Safeguarding processes are described as effective, supported by staff training and clear recording systems, alongside appropriate use of external agencies where needed.

The school’s enrichment offer is positioned as a major part of the experience, including trips, visits, and broader opportunities beyond lessons. In particular, the school runs a Sports Academy, which is singled out as a distinctive option for pupils and students who want a deeper sporting pathway alongside academic study.

The implication for families is that extracurricular life is not treated as an optional extra. In a school serving ages 4 to 19, enrichment has an additional role: it provides a shared identity across year groups. A sports pathway, a structured trips programme, and visible sixth form role-modelling can be unifying threads that help the school feel coherent rather than fragmented.

For younger pupils, the key is access and variety rather than specialism. For older students, enrichment is more likely to be linked to leadership, CV building, and careers planning, particularly given the inspection’s emphasis on a high-quality careers programme and clear independent guidance about next steps.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should expect the usual associated costs, such as uniform, optional trips, and paid-for activities where applicable.

Wraparound care is available. Published role information for the school’s wraparound provision indicates:

• Breakfast club: Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 8.30am

• After-school club: Monday to Friday, 3.00pm to 6.30pm

For transport, local bus services stop directly by the school. For example, the Hertfordshire InTALink timetable information lists services that stop at “St Albans opp Samuel Ryder Academy”, including route 84. (Families should still confirm live routes and timings before relying on them, as services change.)

The published sources accessed for this review did not confirm standard start and finish times for the main school day. If that matters for childcare planning, it is worth checking directly with the school office alongside wraparound availability.

• Entry is genuinely competitive at Year 7. With 714 applications for 145 offers competition for places is the limiting factor. Families should approach this as a high-demand option rather than an assumed local default.

• The all-through structure is a strength, but it is also a preference. Some children thrive with continuity from Reception to GCSE and beyond. Others benefit from a clear “fresh start” at Year 7 in a separate secondary school setting. It is worth considering which model suits your child’s temperament.

• Secondary outcomes are solid rather than headline-grabbing. Positive Progress 8 suggests effective teaching for many students, but families seeking a strongly exam-driven secondary experience may want to compare local alternatives using the FindMySchool Local Hub comparison tools.

• Consistency of assessment is an area to watch. Formal evidence highlights generally effective assessment with some inconsistency in how it is applied, which can affect how precisely some pupils understand what to do next.

Samuel Ryder Academy’s strongest proposition is coherence. Few schools can offer a genuinely joined-up journey from early years to sixth form, and evidence points to a culture that makes that unusual structure work, with calm classrooms, strong personal development, and clear expectations. The primary phase results are a standout, and the wraparound offer supports working families.

Best suited to families who value continuity, want strong primary outcomes, and are comfortable with a single setting through multiple stages. The main challenge is admission, particularly at Year 7, where demand substantially outstrips available places.