Best secondary schools in St Albans (2026)
St Albans has 9 ranked secondary schools with published results. The top-ranked is Sandringham School, in the top 6% in England. The average Attainment 8 here in 2025 was 55.6, against 46.1 for England. 4 are in England's top 10%, and 2 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted. St Albans has no grammar schools.
| Rank | School | Attainment 8 (2023–2025 average) | Attainment 8 2025 | Trend | Grade 5+ Eng & maths | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Top 6% in England |
Sandringham School St Albans |
63.6 | 65.1 | 84% | Outstanding | |
2 Top 8% in England |
Beaumont School St Albans |
61.0 | 62.6 | 74% | Not judged | |
3 Top 10% in England |
Loreto College St Albans · Girls · Roman Catholic |
59.2 | 58.3 | 59% | Not judged | |
4 Top 10% in England |
St Albans Girls' School St Albans · Girls |
58.7 | 58.8 | 70% | Not judged | |
5 Top 18% in England |
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School St Albans · Roman Catholic |
54.5 | 56.4 | 65% | Outstanding | |
6 Top 20% in England |
Samuel Ryder Academy St Albans |
52.8 | 56.5 | 70% | Report card | |
7 Top 20% in England |
Verulam School St Albans · Boys |
53.2 | 52.5 | 55% | No rating | |
8 Top 41% in England |
Townsend Church of England School St Albans · Church of England |
48.0 | 46.7 | 40% | No rating | |
9 Bottom 42% in England |
The Marlborough Science Academy St Albans |
44.3 | 43.4 | 36% | Good |
Other towns in Hertfordshire
- Bishop's Stortford
- Bushey
- Cheshunt
- Harpenden
- Hemel Hempstead
- Hertford
- Hitchin
- Hoddesdon
- Rickmansworth
- Stevenage
- Watford
- Welwyn Garden City
Also see
Questions
What is the best secondary school in St Albans?
On exam results over the last three years, Sandringham School is the top-ranked secondary school in St Albans, in the top 6% of schools in England.
How are the schools ranked?
By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.