Ashlyns School
Foundation school · sixth form · 1,561 pupils
94% stayed in education · Attainment 8 57.9
Foundation school
The Astley Cooper School
- Pupils on roll
- 914of 1,055 places
- Free school meals
- 34.3%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 161
- Ofsted
- Report card, 28 April 2026Read the Ofsted report
Curriculum and teaching Needs attentionAchievement Needs attentionAttendance and behaviour Needs attentionPersonal development and wellbeing Needs attentionInclusion Expected standardLeadership and governance Needs attentionPost-16 provision Expected standardSafeguarding Met
What the data says
Of the 135 pupils who finished Year 11 at The Astley Cooper School in 2023, 41% stayed on in The Astley Cooper School’s own sixth form (Hertfordshire average 58%), 38% went to a further education college and 3% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 29 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 52% went to university (Hertfordshire 42%, England 37%), and 11% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
GCSE results in 2025 were well below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 34.7 against 46.1 across England and 50.6 in Hertfordshire, with 27% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
Music is unusually popular at GCSE: 22% of the year group took it, against 5% of pupils across England.
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Hertfordshire and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The Astley Cooper School | Hertfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 135 | 14,400 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 87% | 95% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 81% | 92% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 41% | 58% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 1% | 2% | 13% |
| — further education college | 38% | 31% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 1% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 3% | 2% | 3% |
| Employment | 3% | 2% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 7% | 3% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 5% | 2% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The Astley Cooper School | Hertfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 29 | 14,189 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 83% | 82% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 52% | 42% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 11% | 24% | 19% |
| Further education | 3% | 5% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 7% | 6% | 7% |
| Employment | 21% | 28% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 17% | 13% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | The Astley Cooper School | Hertfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 34.7 | 50.6 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 27% | 53% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 44% | 72% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 12% | 47% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 2.89 | 4.56 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 33% | 18% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 25.2 | 34.2 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 39.3 | 54.1 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 19% | 16% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 157 | 98% | 88% | 13% | 22% | 55% |
| English Language | 156 | 97% | 89% | 10% | 20% | 49% |
| English Literature | 154 | 96% | 86% | 10% | 21% | 49% |
| Combined Science | 123 | 76% | 65% | 2% | 9% | 27% |
| Geography | 86 | 53% | 41% | 10% | 25% | 44% |
| History | 68 | 42% | 41% | 9% | 26% | 37% |
| Music | 36 | 22% | 5% | 0% | 33% | 14% |
| Fine Art | 35 | 22% | 9% | 6% | 28% | 69% |
| Computer Science | 34 | 21% | 13% | 12% | 30% | 59% |
| Biology | 28 | 17% | 23% | 25% | 45% | 75% |
| Physics | 27 | 17% | 23% | 22% | 46% | 63% |
| Physical Education | 27 | 17% | 11% | 11% | 24% | 37% |
| Business Studies | 27 | 17% | 18% | 7% | 20% | 30% |
| Chemistry | 27 | 17% | 23% | 22% | 47% | 70% |
| Design and Technology | 24 | 15% | 11% | 8% | 23% | 58% |
| Spanish | 15 | 9% | 19% | 20% | 27% | 67% |
| Media Studies | 14 | 9% | 4% | 0% | 20% | 50% |
| Religious Studies | 10 | 6% | 31% | 30% | 32% | 70% |
| Italian | 3 | 2% | 0% | — | 53% | — |
| Polish | 2 | 1% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
| Portuguese | 2 | 1% | 0% | — | 50% | — |
| Statistics | 1 | 1% | 5% | — | 20% | — |
| Art and Design | 1 | 1% | 7% | — | 24% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 60 | 100% | — |
| Small Business Management | 34 | 100% | — |
| Speech and Drama | 20 | 69% | — |
| Sports Studies | 16 | 55% | — |
| Additional Mathematics FSMQ | 13 | 45% | — |
| Dance: General | 9 | 31% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | The Astley Cooper School | Hertfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 104 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 29 | 8,082 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | D+ | B- | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 24.66 | 36.82 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | — | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | — | 19% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photography | 10 | 34% | 3% |
| English Literature | 8 | 28% | 11% |
| Biology | 8 | 28% | 20% |
| Mathematics | — | — | 31% |
| Physics | — | — | 12% |
| Arabic | — | — | 0% |
| Fine Art | — | — | 3% |
| Chemistry | — | — | 17% |
| Computer Science | — | — | 5% |
| History | — | — | 13% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 19 | 66% | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 16 | 55% | — |
| Tourism | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 11 | 38% | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Finance / Accounting (General) | VRQ Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Psychology | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
| Tourism | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Music performance: Group | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Speech and Drama | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Hertfordshire
Barclay Academy
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 1,044 pupils
91% stayed in education · Attainment 8 49.5
Barnwell School
Foundation school · sixth form · 1,270 pupils
88% stayed in education · Attainment 8 41.5
Beaumont School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,722 pupils
98% stayed in education · Attainment 8 62.6
Birchwood High School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,417 pupils
85% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.1
Bishop's Hatfield Girls' School
Academy converter · sixth form · 942 pupils
97% stayed in education · Attainment 8 51.9
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.