Haberdashers' Boys' School
Same Hertfordshire area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 17 August 2026
St Albans School is a private secondary-stage school in St Albans, Hertfordshire, with a published age range of 11-19.
Private school Boys Ages 11-19 Sixth form No boarders
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-19
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
St Albans School
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Boys only
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-19
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
A grammar-school foundation from 1552 meets a significant new chapter at St Albans School. The institution is moving to full co-education from September 2026 after a long tradition of educating boys. Its current structure runs through Lower School, Third Form, Middle School and Sixth Form, with the historic Abbey Gateway setting in central St Albans forming part of that continuity.
Years 7 and 8 make up the Lower School, the Third Form begins a new senior phase in Year 9, and Years 10 and 11 lead towards GCSE study before the Sixth Form. Curiosity, independent thought and intellectual development are central ideas in the teaching approach, supported by learning support and attention to each pupil's wider development.
More than 200 clubs and activities range across games and sport, music, drama, the CCF, DofE, House activity, societies and charitable work. Pupils can perform, compete, serve, lead and develop interests beyond academic lessons, while pastoral care and wellbeing remain part of the same educational structure. The breadth is a practical feature of daily life rather than a separate add-on.
Entry is organised through Lower School 11+, Third Form 13+ and Sixth Form admissions at 16+, with visits, scholarships and assistance with fees available at the relevant stages. Subject and destination information is provided for older pupils. The combination of a long institutional history, a central setting and the current co-education transition gives St Albans a community in visible change.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths and 10.1 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 43.8% AAB or better.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Hertfordshire and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 10.1
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 0%
- EBacc APS
- 0.72
- EBacc entry
- 0%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Hertfordshire and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Boys only
- Age range
- 11-19
- Headteacher
- Mr Joe Silvester
- Pupil roll
- 883 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Abbey Gateway, St Albans, Hertfordshire
- Postcode
- AL3 4HB
- Area
- Hertfordshire
School leadership
- Headteacher
- Mr Joe Silvester
School contact
- School phone
- 01727855521
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions phone
- 01727855521
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-19
- Gender
- Boys only
- Boarding
- No boarders
- Day fees
- Check school fees page
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Check school site
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
Application
Application
Key dates
Get date reminders-
13+ registration deadline
13 November 2026
Route: Year 9 (13+); entry: September 2027.
-
13+ exam week
Last week in January
Route: Year 9 (13+); entry: September 2027.
-
13+ bursary application deadline
30 November 2026
Route: Year 9 (13+) bursary; entry: September 2027.
-
13+ offers
Friday before February half-term
Route: Year 9 (13+); entry: September 2027.
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 10.1 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 0% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 0.72 EBacc APS
- A-level results
- 43.8% AAB or better
- A-level average points
- 45.40 A-level points per entry
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 14 October 2025
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2025 records an inspection beginning 14 October 2025. The report says the relevant standards were met.
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Shortlist comparisons
Explore this school in context
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Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
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Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does St Albans School handle admissions?
St Albans School handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to St Albans School?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for St Albans School?
13+ registration deadline: 13 November 2026. 13+ exam week: Last week in January. 13+ bursary application deadline: 30 November 2026. 13+ offers: Friday before February half-term
What does the latest inspection picture look like for St Albans School?
St Albans School is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 14 October 2025.