The Astley Cooper School

Term dates

This school's own term dates broadly match Hertfordshire council's, so the council's dates are shown here. INSET days can differ, so check the school's calendar for those.

• Term
• Holiday
• INSET day
• Exeat

Admissions

Places for Year 7 are applied for through your home council, not the school.

Apply for a secondary school place on GOV.UK

How places are given: there's no entrance test. When there are more applicants than places, places usually go by criteria such as siblings, distance or catchment area. Check the council's or school's admissions policy for the exact rules.

For the sixth form, apply to the school directly.

How many families applied: Year 7

For September 2026, 161 families put this school as their first choice, and 175 places were offered. 154 of the families who put it first got a place (96%).

Offers made on national offer day, from the Department for Education. Waiting lists and appeals can change things later. The hardest schools to get into.

Before and after school

This club is registered with Ofsted at the school's postcode, so usually run on the school site:

• Theatretrain Hemel Hempstead. Ofsted report

Ask the club or the school about times, prices and places. More clubs nearby.

Ofsted inspection

Report card, 28 April 2026. Ofsted now grades each area separately, from exceptional to urgent improvement, with no single overall grade.

Inclusion

Expected standard

Curriculum and teaching

Needs attention

Achievement

Needs attention

Attendance and behaviour

Needs attention

Personal development and wellbeing

Needs attention

Sixth form

Expected standard

Leadership and governance

Needs attention

Safeguarding standards: met.

Previous inspection, 17 November 2021. Overall: Good

Read the Ofsted reports

From Ofsted's published inspection data (Open Government Licence). Report cards and older grades use different scales, so they can't be compared directly.

About and location

Type

Foundation school

Phase

Secondary

Ages

11–18

Pupils

914 (capacity 1055)

Gender

Mixed

Phone

01442394141

Address

St Agnell's Lane, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 7HL

Website

astleycooper.herts.sch.uk

Official school record, including Ofsted reports