Graded inspection · Nov 2023 Previous framework
- Quality of education
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Personal development
- Leadership and management
This schoolOther secondary schools in Hertfordshire
What did Ofsted find?
Ofsted data to 30 September 2026| Area | Outstanding | Good | Requires improvement | Inadequate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality of education | Outstanding | |||
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding | |||
| Personal development | Outstanding | |||
| Leadership and management | Outstanding | |||
| Sixth form provision | Outstanding |
Inspection history
- 14 November 2023Graded inspection: Outstanding
- 20 October 2021Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Improving)
Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades
About these grades
Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.
How hard is it to get a place?
DfE · Sept 2026 entry623 applications · 170 places offered · 194 named it first
FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.
- 2026 3.7; Hertfordshire median median 3.0
- 2025 4.0; Hertfordshire median median 3.0
- 2024 3.3; Hertfordshire median median 3.1
- 2023 3.3; Hertfordshire median median 3.1
- 2022 3.0; Hertfordshire median median 3.0
- 2021 2.9; Hertfordshire median median 3.0
- 2020 3.0; Hertfordshire median median 3.1
- 2019 2.9; Hertfordshire median median 3.2
- 2018 1.7; Hertfordshire median median 3.3
- 2017 1.4; Hertfordshire median median 3.3
- 2016 2.4; Hertfordshire median median 3.4
- 2015 2.1; Hertfordshire median median 3.3
- 2014 3.2; Hertfordshire median median 3.4
- This school
- Hertfordshire median
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council
How this is measured
Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.
| Entry | Places | Applications | Per place | First preferences | First-pref. ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 170 | 623 | 3.7 | 194 | 1.14 |
| Sep 2025 | 172 | 683 | 4.0 | 234 | 1.36 |
| Sep 2024 | 168 | 560 | 3.3 | 193 | 1.15 |
| Sep 2023 | 173 | 576 | 3.3 | 209 | 1.21 |
| Sep 2022 | 177 | 537 | 3.0 | 181 | 1.02 |
| Sep 2021 | 174 | 512 | 2.9 | 146 | 0.84 |
| Sep 2020 | 175 | 526 | 3.0 | 168 | 0.96 |
| Sep 2019 | 176 | 503 | 2.9 | 154 | 0.88 |
| Sep 2018 | 210 | 360 | 1.7 | 110 | 0.52 |
| Sep 2017 | 205 | 293 | 1.4 | 80 | 0.39 |
| Sep 2016 | 108 | 254 | 2.4 | 63 | 0.58 |
| Sep 2015 | 110 | 234 | 2.1 | 52 | 0.47 |
| Sep 2014 | 87 | 280 | 3.2 | 49 | 0.56 |
How did pupils do at GCSE?
DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisionalEvery year as a table
| Year | Pupils | Attainment 8 | 5+ Eng & maths | 4+ Eng & maths | Progress 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (prov.) | 179 | 55.0 | 67% | 84% | – |
| 2024/25 | 175 | 56.4 | 65% | 83% | – |
| 2023/24 | 174 | 54.4 | 59% | 82% | +0.75 |
| 2022/23 | 179 | 52.6 | 54% | 79% | +0.70 |
Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.
Schools nearby
The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority
- Nicholas Breakspear Catholic SchoolThis schoolThis schoolOutstanding20233.7applications per place 55.0Attainment 8
- 1.1 km · HertfordshireGraded · no overall grade20255.0applications per place 63.0Attainment 8
- 1.8 km · Hertfordshire20264.8applications per place 52.4Attainment 8
- 2.1 km · HertfordshireRemains Good20242.4applications per place 54.4Attainment 8
- 2.9 km · HertfordshireGraded · no overall grade20243.0applications per place 56.2Attainment 8
- 2.9 km · HertfordshireOutstanding20244.3applications per place 65.7Attainment 8
- 3.9 km · HertfordshireGraded · no overall grade20243.1applications per place 60.7Attainment 8
- 4.3 km · HertfordshireGood20232.6applications per place 42.6Attainment 8
- 4.5 km · HertfordshireRemains Outstanding20223.0applications per place 54.5Attainment 8
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
- Does not apply
Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.
School details
- Type
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Secondary
- URN · DfE number
- 137938 · 919/5412
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Capacity
- 1,056 pupils · 1,134 on roll
- Free school meals
- 11.5% of pupils (England median 23%)
- Opened
- 1 March 2012
- Replaced
- Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School (URN 117584)
- Address
- Colney Heath Lane, St Albans, AL4 0TT
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire · St Albans
Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources