King James Academy Royston is an all-through mainstream school in Royston, Hertfordshire, for children and young people aged 9 to 18. In January 2026, 115 of its 947 pupils (12.1%) were getting SEN support and 32 (3.4%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 9–18
- 947 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Hertfordshire.
12.1% get SEN support
115 of 947 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
3.4% have an EHC plan
32 of 947 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
About the same as the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health60
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia39
- Autism21
- Speech, language and communication13
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream all-through school
- Run as
- Academy
- Ages
- 9 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 947 (places for 1,321)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Zoe Andrews
- Part of
- The Diamond Learning Partnership Trust
- Free school meals
- 18.6% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Hertfordshire
- School reference (URN)
- 137656
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Hertfordshire council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Good, April 2024
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in April 2024.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Garden Walk, Royston, SG8 7JH
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Melbourn Village College Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 2.6 miles
- Aurora Meldreth Manor School Independent · Ages 6–19 · Ofsted: Requires improvement 3.1 miles
- Selwyn Hall School Independent · Ages 7–18 · Ofsted: Good 5.1 miles
- Comberton Village College Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 9.0 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Icknield Walk First School Primary · Ages 3–9 · SEN support 14.9%, EHC plans 3.3% 0.2 miles
- St Mary Roman Catholic Primary School Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 11.9%, EHC plans 3.5% 0.5 miles
- Studlands Rise First School Primary · Ages 3–9 · SEN support 17.1%, EHC plans 1.8% 0.6 miles
All mainstream schools in Hertfordshire SEND schools in Hertfordshire
Questions about King James Academy Royston
How many pupils at King James Academy Royston have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 115 of the 947 pupils (12.1%) were getting SEN support and 32 (3.4%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at King James Academy Royston?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (60 pupils), dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (39 pupils) and autism (21 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at King James Academy Royston?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at King James Academy Royston?
Through Hertfordshire council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to King James Academy Royston?
You can ask for King James Academy Royston to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does King James Academy Royston have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Melbourn Village College, about 2.6 miles away.
Where is King James Academy Royston?
Garden Walk, Royston, SG8 7JH, in Hertfordshire.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.