Bernards Heath Junior School
Watson Avenue, St Albans, AL3 5HPOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Bernards Heath Junior School is a primary school in St Albans for ages 7 to 11. It is one of the 583 schools in Hertfordshire. It ranks 9th of 33 primary schools in St Albans. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in December 2023.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 5 December 2023, report published 29 January 2024
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Outstanding
- Personal development
- Outstanding
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 5 December 2023
Pupils thrive at this purposeful, happy and nurturing school. They know that the staff care deeply about their welfare. Pupils enjoy interesting lessons taught by skilled teachers. Pupils read enthusiastically. Pupils who need it get the additional support they need to help them learn successfully. By the end of their time here, pupils progress and achieve well. Pupils' behaviour and attitudes are exemplary. Staff help pupils to adapt quickly to the new routines as they move from infant school. Pupils across the school take their learning seriously. They work incredibly hard in lessons. Pupils value each other as friends and learning partners. They treat others with high levels of respect and kindness. Bullying rarely happens. Pupils are confident that if it does, staff will deal with it effectively. There are extensive opportunities for pupils to develop their interests and talents. They take part enthusiastically in clubs, sports teams and other activities, from choir to coding. Pupils have a voice as members of the pupil parliament and the school council, or as sports ambassadors and eco-leaders. Older pupils take their responsibilities as role models very seriously. For example, they enjoy being buddies to younger pupils.
What the school should improve
- In a few areas, curriculum plans do not set out the progression of knowledge and skills in enough detail. As a result, the depth of pupils' understanding is not to the same high standard as it is in the rest of the curriculum. The school should continue to support subject leaders to refine the way the curriculum is planned and delivered in all areas.
- Assessment in a few foundation subjects is not as well developed and robust as in others. This means that teachers do not identify gaps in pupils' knowledge as effectively as they could. The school should ensure that there is a consistently strong approach to assessment, drawing on the very effective practice already in place, so that pupils build secure knowledge in all areas of the curriculum.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
90 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
353 pupils on roll, with places for 360
Schools near Bernards Heath Junior School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bernards Heath Infant and Nursery School | 0.2 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | Not published |
| Garden Fields Junior Mixed and Infant School | 0.4 miles | Ofsted: Good | 69% met the expected standard |
| Maple Primary School | 0.6 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | 93% met the expected standard |
| Margaret Wix Primary School | 0.7 miles | Ofsted: Good | 61% met the expected standard |
| Alban City School | 0.7 miles | Ofsted: Good | 77% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Community school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 7 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Ms Claire Piggott
- Phone
- 01727856262
- Address
- Watson Avenue, St Albans, AL3 5HP
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire
- URN
- 117143
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.