Samuel Ryder Academy
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Samuel Ryder Academy is a sponsored academy in St Albans for boys and girls aged 4 to 19. It has 1,577 pupils, 57 more than it has places for. About 20 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit fewer than at most schools. We give it 83 out of 100. That puts it above schools like it, ahead of 94% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in April 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.
Drakes Drive, St Albans, AL1 5AR01727 859382samuelryderacademy.co.ukMr Kyle Barry headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted visited on 21 April 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.
Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.
Earlier inspections (1)
| Date | Type | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 29 June 2022 | S5 Inspection | Good |
Results
GCSE results, summer 2025
185 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.
All GCSE measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 | Hertfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of Year 11 | 185 | 192 | 160 | 166 | 122 | 69 | – | – |
| Average GCSE scoreAttainment 8 | 56.5 | 50.4 | 51.6 | 52.7 | 48.3 | 42.6 | 50.9 | 46.8 |
| Progress from age 11Progress 8 | – | +0.35 | +0.36 | +0.29 | +0.33 | +0.09 | – | – |
| Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths | 70% | 54% | 58% | 60% | 46% | 32% | 53% | 46% |
| Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths | 82% | 73% | 78% | 76% | 71% | 58% | 72% | 66% |
| Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score | 4.96 | 4.32 | 4.44 | 4.53 | 4.20 | 3.69 | 4.58 | 4.15 |
| Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry | 40% | 29% | 30% | 33% | 39% | 32% | 47% | 41% |
| Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged | 43.5 | 43.2 | 39.1 | 36.0 | 34.8 | 40.3 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged | 58.8 | 52.0 | 54.3 | 57.4 | 52.7 | 44.5 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers | – | 30.3 | 34.1 | 34.5 | 31.2 | 26.5 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers | – | 64.9 | 67.8 | 74.2 | 63.9 | 58.3 | – | – |
Subjects
Results came out for 23 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.
Strongest subjects
The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.
Every subject against England, 2025
| Subject | Entries | Grades 9 to 7 | Grades 9 to 5 | Grades 9 to 4 | England 9 to 5 | Rank in England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 185 | 31% | 74% | 85% | 53% | 338 of 3,211 |
| English Language | 185 | 30% | 68% | 80% | 54% | 525 of 3,210 |
| English Literature | 182 | 30% | 75% | 86% | 58% | 442 of 3,202 |
| Combined Science | 134 | 10% | 53% | 72% | 36% | 435 of 3,084 |
| History | 91 | 48% | 76% | 87% | 52% | 344 of 3,126 |
| Business | 84 | 30% | 75% | 85% | 51% | 187 of 1,806 |
| Spanish | 78 | 31% | 53% | 69% | 54% | 1,059 of 1,941 |
| Media / Film / TV | 73 | 33% | 75% | 92% | 55% | 84 of 580 |
| Geography | 65 | 40% | 66% | 77% | 51% | 576 of 3,116 |
| Art and Design | 63 | 27% | 79% | 92% | 58% | 488 of 2,818 |
| Biology | 51 | 55% | 94% | 96% | 82% | 832 of 2,570 |
| Chemistry | 49 | 69% | 100% | 100% | 81% | 238 of 2,537 |
| Physics | 49 | 71% | 100% | 100% | 82% | 180 of 2,546 |
| Design & Technology | 44 | 16% | 68% | 84% | 50% | 316 of 1,478 |
| Physical Education | 43 | 26% | 67% | 86% | 56% | 503 of 1,559 |
| Religious Studies | 39 | 56% | 90% | 90% | 60% | 138 of 1,825 |
| Computer Science | 37 | 24% | 51% | 70% | 56% | 1,014 of 1,861 |
| French | 27 | 33% | 59% | 67% | 60% | 1,102 of 1,974 |
| Drama | 25 | 32% | 68% | 72% | 60% | 352 of 844 |
| Food Preparation & Nutrition | 17 | 35% | 71% | 71% | 52% | – |
| Dance | 14 | 29% | 64% | 71% | 58% | – |
| Other Modern Languages | 7 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 49% | – |
| Music | 7 | 29% | 71% | 86% | 61% | – |
In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
60 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | Hertfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 80% | 73% | 73% | 55% | 64% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 20% | 7% | 18% | 5% | 10% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 110.0 | 108.0 | 107.0 | 103.0 | 106.6 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 110.0 | 107.0 | 107.0 | 103.0 | 105.2 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 110.0 | 109.0 | 108.0 | 105.0 | 106.1 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 93% | 87% | 85% | 68% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 95% | 85% | 85% | 70% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 82% | 82% | 82% | 80% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | +1.9 | -1.7 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | +1.9 | -1.9 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 63% | 50% | 78% | 31% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 83% | 76% | 73% | 62% | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
A level and sixth-form results, 2025
78 students finished sixth-form courses.
All sixth-form measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students | 78 | 81 | 77 | 47 | 33 | 39 |
| Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry | 35.38 | 34.17 | 33.44 | 36.80 | 33.77 | 32.11 |
| Average A level grade | B- | C+ | C+ | B- | C+ | C+ |
| Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS | 35.57 | 34.26 | 33.53 | 36.36 | 31.11 | 35.83 |
| AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects | 10% | 11% | 2% | 21% | 0% | 13% |
| A level progressA level value added | +0.00 | -0.25 | – | – | -0.16 | +0.09 |
| Applied general courses: points per entry | 40.83 | 38.39 | 38.50 | 37.37 | – | – |
| Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed | 98% | 96% | 91% | 100% | 92% | 73% |
A level subjects
16 A level subjects had results in 2025. Each figure is the share of students who got an A* to B, next to the average for state sixth forms in England. When only a handful of students take a subject, its figures jump around from year to year.
Strongest A levels
Every A level subject against England, 2025
A levels only. BTECs, T levels and other courses are in the table above. Subjects with fewer than five students aren't published.
Does every child do well here?
A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 2 of the 7 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.
At GCSE, 2025
At the end of primary school, 2025
Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.
Getting a place
Open to all. There is no entrance test.
The school is full, with 35 more pupils than it has places for. More families apply than can get in, so things like how close you live and whether an older brother or sister is already here decide who gets a place. Pupil numbers have grown by 7% since 2021/22, so places are getting harder to come by.
The last child to get a place lived 2.9 miles away in 2026, 0.8 miles away in 2026, 13.7 miles away in 2025. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils, faith and other priority groups are placed first. After that, the closer you live, the better your chances. Type in your postcode to see how far away you are.
We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.
How places were given out for September 2026. More children applied than there were places. The last place went to a child living 2.9 miles from the school. Living closer than that didn't guarantee a place, but living much further away meant missing out that year.
| Entry | Places | Applied at all | Got a place | How far the last child lived | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Primary | 60 | 158 | 60 | 2.9 miles | LA |
| 2026 Secondary | 145 | 682 | 145 | 0.8 miles (catchment area) | LA |
| 2025 Primary | 60 | 135 | 60 | 13.7 miles | LA |
| 2025 Secondary | 120 | 722 | 150 | 0.7 miles (catchment area) | LA |
| 2024 Primary | 60 | 141 | 50 | – all offered | LA |
| 2024 Secondary | 120 | 772 | 146 | 0.7 miles (catchment area) | LA |
| 2023 Secondary | 120 | 789 | 170 | 2.7 miles (catchment area) | LA |
| 2022 Secondary | 120 | 773 | 145 | 1.2 miles (catchment area) | LA |
The distances are the council's own, usually measured in a straight line from home to the school gate. If the distance is getting shorter each year, the school is getting harder to get into. See which councils we have this data for.
What a home within 0.7 miles of the school costs
Every home sold within that distance of the school (the typical cut-off over the last three years), of any type, from HM Land Registry records. If homes here cost more than the district average, that is the price people pay to live close enough to get in.
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 26.5 pupils (England 26.2); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 26.8 (England 28.2).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (62), Specific learning difficulty (60), Other difficulty or disability (41), emotional and mental health (31), language and communications needs (24), Moderate learning difficulty (13).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 1,577 | 1,577 | 1,556 | 1,508 | 1,460 | 1,383 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 19% | 17% | 17% | 16% | 15% | 13% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 16% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 12% | 13% | 12% | 12% | 13% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.1% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 6.9% | 5.6% | 5.7% | 6.4% | 3.3% | 4.4% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 5.3% | 4.3% | 4.4% | 5.1% | 2.5% | 3.6% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 1.6% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.2% | 0.8% | 0.8% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 21.2% | 13.9% | 15.8% | 15.7% | 6.1% | 8.7% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 12.2 | 8.6 | 10.5 | 8.0 | 3.3 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
What pupils do next
After GCSEs
Where the 160 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 90%, compared with 95% for everyone else.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 94% | 95% | 93% | 98% |
| Education | 92% | 90% | 91% | 95% |
| Apprenticeship | 2% | 1% | 1% | 0% |
| Work | 1% | 3% | 1% | 2% |
| Not in education, work or training | 3% | 4% | 5% | 2% |
After sixth form
Where the 73 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 70%, compared with 92% for everyone else.
Where the ones heading for university went
Among students from low-income families, 46% went on to degree-level study or training and 15% to a top-third university.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 89% | 87% | 91% | – |
| Education | 69% | 51% | 67% | – |
| Apprenticeship | 3% | 6% | 5% | 0% |
| Work | 18% | 30% | 19% | – |
| Not in education, work or training | 8% | 9% | 9% | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windermere Primary School | Council | 610 m | 134 | No overall grade 2025 | 6 | Compare |
| Cunningham Hill Junior School | Council | 690 m | 236 | Outstanding 2024 | 100 | Compare |
| Cunningham Hill Infant School | Council | 690 m | 180 | Outstanding 2024 | 100 | Compare |
| Camp Primary and Nursery School | Council | 880 m | 228 | Good 2023 | 81 | Compare |
| St Alban & St Stephen Catholic Primary School & Nursery | Academy | 0.9 miles | 410 | Good 2023 | – | Compare |
| Fleetville Junior School | Academy | 0.9 miles | 358 | Good 2023 | 93 | Compare |
| Fleetville Infant and Nursery School | Academy | 1.0 miles | 304 | Outstanding 2023 | 99 | Compare |
| Links Academy | Academy alternative provision converter | 1.0 miles | 10 | Good 2023 | – | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Samuel Ryder Academy with the 47 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 47 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
No school with a similar mix of pupils within 25 km scores clearly higher.
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 83 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 83% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 78 to 87. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 20% | above | +0.13 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 185 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | above | +0.11 | Ofsted report card, 0.4 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | above | +0.12 | DfE progress measure; 185 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | above | +0.09 | results and attendance rising year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | above | +0.05 | 2024/25; 1,378 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | well above | +0.14 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 185 pupils |
| What pupils do next | 5% | above | +0.03 | 160 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | no data | – |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is Samuel Ryder Academy a good school?
Yes, going by the figures. Samuel Ryder Academy scores 83 out of 100. That is above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 94% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 78 to 87, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is Samuel Ryder Academy's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 21 April 2026 it rated teaching as strong, achievement as as expected, behaviour and attendance as strong, leadership as strong.
How good are Samuel Ryder Academy's GCSE results?
In summer 2025, 70% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 56.5, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished about half a grade ahead of children across England who started secondary school at the same level.
How good are Samuel Ryder Academy's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 80% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 20% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does Samuel Ryder Academy have?
1,577 pupils aged 4 to 19 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 1,520 places, so it is 104% full.
Is Samuel Ryder Academy oversubscribed, and how far away can you live?
Yes. For September 2026 the last place went to a child living 2.9 miles away. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils and other priority groups come before distance, so the cut-off moves every year.
What is attendance like at Samuel Ryder Academy?
Pupils were in school 93.1% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 21% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Samuel Ryder Academy?
The average class had 22.4 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 9% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
Does Samuel Ryder Academy have a sixth form?
Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was B-. 16 A level subjects had results in 2025; the full list is in the results section.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Drakes Drive, St Albans, AL1 5AR
- Telephone
- 01727 859382
- Website
- www.samuelryderacademy.co.uk
- Headteacher
- Mr Kyle Barry
- Type of school
- Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
- Phase
- All-through school, ages 4-19, with sixth form
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- None
- Multi-academy trust
- Scholars' Education Trust (13 schools)
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire
- Ward
- Cunningham
- Constituency
- St Albans
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 September 2012 (new provision)
- URN
- 138582 · LAESTAB 9194003 · UKPRN 10038479
- Formerly
- Francis Bacon School
Recent changes
- New KS4 results for 2024/25
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- GCSE results: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25 final.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- A level subjects: DfE A level and other 16 to 18 results, subject entries and grades, 2024/25.
- Admissions outcomes: Hertfordshire council's published allocation statistics (source), entry years 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
- House prices: HM Land Registry price paid data, December 2023 to December 2025, placed by postcode.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.