Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #72 in Hertfordshire public Top 38% UK

Hertswood Academy

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personHead not listed

corporate_fareHERTSWOOD ACADEMY

location_onBorehamwood, WD6 5LG

language Visit Website phone 2082387200

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2025

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Students

1,216

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Attainment 8

38.3

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GCSE Rank

#73 in Hertfordshire

#2,759 of 3,216 nationally

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Hertswood Academy is a Academy converter secondary school in Borehamwood, serving ages 11-18. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards.

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School Summary

Hertswood Academy is an academy converter in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, admitting pupils aged 11-18. It has a sixth form offering post-16 education. It is part of HERTSWOOD ACADEMY. The school has approximately 1,173 pupils on roll, of whom 36% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 38.3, placing the school #73 in Hertfordshire and #2,759 of 3,216 nationally. 27.40% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 10.4% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

The sixth form offers 17 A-level subjects. 48.8% of A-level entries were graded A*–B, with 22.6% at A*–A. A-level value added: +0.19 — students made above-average progress at sixth form.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2025. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Good.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.7× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 17.9:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there was 1 permanent exclusion. The average suspension rate was 7.5 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

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Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

38.3

Grade 5+ E&M

27.40%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)10.4%

Entering EBacc52.00%

EBacc APS3.47

2024

Progress 8 Score

-0.19

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

38.9

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc46.80%

EBacc APS3.49

2023

Progress 8 Score

-0.34

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

39.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc21%

EBacc APS3.33

2022

Progress 8 Score

-0.45

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

41.3

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc37%

EBacc APS3.51

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc57%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

-0.52

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

38.7

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc49%

EBacc APS3.31

2018

Progress 8 Score

0.02

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

43.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc16%

EBacc APS3.36

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Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

86%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)80%

Apprenticeships3%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)9%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

94%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)84%

Apprenticeships5%

Employment5%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)4%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

95%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)90%

Apprenticeships2%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)3%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

94%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)87%

Apprenticeships2%

Employment4%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

92%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)83%

Apprenticeships3%

Employment6%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)7%

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Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

A-level results for students who stayed in sixth form at this school. Value added measures how much progress students made relative to their GCSE starting point.

2025

A-Level Value Added

+0.19

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make above-average progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

C+

Students

Grade Breakdown

Achieving A*6.5%

Achieving A*–A22.6%

Achieving A*–B48.8%

VA Banding Above average

Retention rate100.0%

A-level subjects offered17

2024

A-Level Value Added

+0.26

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make above-average progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

C+

Students

Retention rate93.10%

2023

Avg Grade

C+

Students

Retention rate97.40%

2022

Avg Grade

C+

Students

Retention rate100.0%

Source: DfE A Level and Other 16-18 Results

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

11 February 2025

Inspection Report

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22 June 2022

Inspection Report

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13 July 2021

Inspection Report

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23 February 2021

Inspection Report

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03 March 2020

Inspection Report

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11 September 2019

Inspection Report

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16 May 2018

Inspection Report

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27 September 2017

Inspection Report

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08 May 2014

Inspection Report

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16 October 2012

Inspection Report

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02 October 2012

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

6 Evaluations

2025-02-11

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 2 EIF

Not Judged

info

Why no overall grade?

From autumn 2024, Ofsted stopped issuing a single headline grade (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate). Instead, each inspection area is graded individually. This follows a major review after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023. The overall effectiveness field is left as "Not judged" in the published data.

Education

Good

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2022-06-22

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Requires improvement

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2019-09-11

Serious Weaknesses S5 Reinspection EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2018-05-16

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2017-09-27

Maintained Academy and School Short inspection Legacy

Inadequate

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

2014-05-08

None Legacy

Good

Education

Good

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

8.0%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

5.8%(68 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 1,173 pupils. During this period, there were 94 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 8.0%, which is above the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	1,173	94	8.0%	7.3%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	1,152	80	6.9%	7.8%	1
2023/24 (Summer term)	1,149	62	5.4%	7.4%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	1,151	75	6.5%	7.1%	1
2023/24 (Autumn term)	1,149	132	11.5%	8.2%	2
2022/23 (Summer term)	1,213	69	5.7%	6.6%	2
2022/23 (Spring term)	1,216	68	5.6%	6.4%	2
2022/23 (Autumn term)	1,212	34	2.8%	5.9%	1
2021/22 (Summer term)	1,245	27	2.2%	4.7%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	1,250	20	1.6%	4.9%	2
2021/22 (Autumn term)	1,234	16	1.3%	4.4%	1
2020/21 (Summer term)	1,247	24	1.9%	3.6%	0
2020/21 (Spring term)	1,252	7	0.6%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	1,249	28	2.2%	3.9%	2
2019/20 (Summer term)	1,222	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	1,222	14	1.1%	3.2%	2
2019/20 (Autumn term)	1,232	28	2.3%	4.2%	4
2018/19 (Summer term)	1,234	16	1.3%	3.1%	2
2018/19 (Spring term)	1,241	20	1.6%	3.8%	3
2018/19 (Autumn term)	1,267	75	5.9%	3.8%	1
2017/18 (Summer term)	1,262	143	11.3%	3.4%	2
2017/18 (Spring term)	1,285	79	6.1%	3.0%	1
2017/18 (Autumn term)	1,289	101	7.8%	3.7%	0
2016/17 (Summer term)	1,288	121	9.4%	3.0%	3
2016/17 (Spring term)	1,293	74	5.7%	3.3%	1
2016/17 (Autumn term)	1,295	56	4.3%	3.1%	2

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 55 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 28 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 22 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 15 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 15 pupils

Physical Disability 5 pupils

Hearing Impairment 3 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 2 pupils

Multi-Sensory Impairment 1 pupils