School Chooser

Secondary schools in Hertfordshire

There are 82 secondary schools in Hertfordshire, teaching 95,389 pupils. Of the 81 with a score, 41 do better than similar schools elsewhere in England and 17 do worse.

Best in EnglandPrimary schools in HertfordshireAll schools in HertfordshirePlaces within
Pupils from low-income families18%average across these schools
Doing better than similar schools41 of 81scored schools in the top two bands
New-style Ofsted report cards12inspected since November 2025
Good or outstanding (old grades)463 requires improvement or inadequate
Full or nearly full38 of 80schools with 98% or more of places taken
Average class size21.6one-teacher classes, January census
Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored

Getting a place in Hertfordshire

From Hertfordshire council's allocation figures for 2026 entry: 46 secondary schools, 28 of which filled on distance and 7 offered a place to everyone who applied. Every school's page has a postcode check.

Hardest to get into

The last place went to a child living this far away. The shorter the distance, the harder it is to get in.

  1. Sir John Lawes School 0.6 miles
  2. Samuel Ryder Academy 0.8 miles
  3. The Hemel Hempstead School 0.8 miles
  4. Beaumont School 0.8 miles
  5. Longdean School 0.9 miles
  6. The Adeyfield Academy 1.0 miles
  7. The Nobel School 1.0 miles
  8. Hitchin Girls' School 1.1 miles
  9. The Astley Cooper School 1.1 miles
  10. The Thomas Alleyne Academy 1.3 miles
  11. King James Academy Royston 1.5 miles
  12. Katherine Warington School 1.5 miles

Places to spare

Every applicant was offered a place.

Source: Hertfordshire council (allocation statistics). Councils we hold this for.

Secondary schools (82)

Ranked by score, highest first. The likely range shows how sure we can be. If two schools' ranges overlap, don't read it as one beating the other. Click a column heading to sort, or hover a row to find it on the map.

#SchoolPupilsLow incomeOfstedScoreLikely range
1Dame Alice Owen's SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Potters Bar1,4674%Outstanding 20239997 to 100
2Sandringham SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · St Albans1,7778%Outstanding 20249896 to 99
3Sir John Lawes SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Harpenden1,37310%Outstanding 20239695 to 98
4Beaumont SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · St Albans1,7224%No overall grade 20259694 to 98
5Nicholas Breakspear Catholic SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · St Albans1,13412%Outstanding 20239593 to 97
6St Clement Danes SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Rickmansworth1,5855%Outstanding 20249593 to 97
7Parmiter's SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Watford1,4967%Outstanding 20249592 to 97
8Avanti Grange Secondary SchoolFree school · ages 11-18 · Bishops Stortford66010%No overall grade 20259488 to 98
9Watford Grammar School for BoysAcademy · ages 11-18 · Watford1,5907%Report card 20269491 to 96
10Hitchin Boys' SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Hitchin1,3649%Report card 20259391 to 96
11St George's SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Harpenden1,3515%No overall grade 20259390 to 95
12Watford Grammar School for GirlsAcademy · ages 11-19 · Watford1,4277%Outstanding 20249289 to 95
13Roundwood Park SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Harpenden1,4218%Outstanding 20239289 to 95
14Rickmansworth SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Rickmansworth1,5756%Outstanding 20239289 to 94
15Simon Balle All-Through SchoolAcademy · ages 4-18 · Hertford1,61710%Outstanding 20249288 to 94
16Yavneh CollegeAcademy · ages 11-18 · Borehamwood1,0856%Good 20239187 to 94
17Presdales SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Ware1,16710%Outstanding 20249186 to 94
18The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science CollegeAcademy · ages 11-18 · Bishop's Stortford1,5086%Outstanding 20239086 to 93
19St Albans Girls' SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · St Albans1,42312%No overall grade 20248985 to 92
20St Mary's Catholic SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Bishop's Stortford1,10610%No overall grade 20248985 to 92
21Hitchin Girls' SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Hitchin1,3577%No overall grade 20248985 to 92
22Queens' SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Bushey1,69711%No overall grade 20258884 to 92
23The Bishop's Stortford High SchoolFoundation · ages 11-18 · Bishop's Stortford1,2797%Outstanding 20238783 to 91
24The Broxbourne SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Broxbourne1,44213%Outstanding 20248783 to 91
25Loreto CollegeAcademy · ages 11-18 · St Albans95215%No overall grade 20248783 to 91
26Hockerill Anglo-European CollegeAcademy · ages 11-18 · Bishop's Stortford9035%Good 20228681 to 90
27The Saint John Henry Newman Catholic SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Stevenage1,62010%Good 20248682 to 90
28The Chauncy SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Ware1,51517%Outstanding 20238379 to 87
29Samuel Ryder AcademyAcademy · ages 4-19 · St Albans1,57720%Report card 20268378 to 87
30Ashlyns SchoolFoundation · ages 11-18 · Berkhamsted1,56112%Good 20238276 to 86
31Richard Hale SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Hertford1,20710%Good 20248176 to 86
32Bishop's Hatfield Girls' SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Hatfield94220%Outstanding 20228075 to 85
33Freman CollegeAcademy · ages 13-18 · Buntingford1,04914%Good 20247872 to 83
34Saint Michael's Catholic High SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Watford1,13014%No overall grade 20257669 to 82
35Verulam SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · St Albans98715%Good 20247466 to 80
36Stanborough SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Welwyn Garden City1,28719%Good 20237263 to 78
37Monk's Walk SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Welwyn Garden City1,44020%Good 20236960 to 76
38Saint Joan of Arc Catholic SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Rickmansworth1,19811%Good 20236960 to 76
39The Nobel SchoolFoundation · ages 11-18 · Stevenage1,47520%Good 20236960 to 76
40Katherine Warington SchoolFree school · ages 11-19 · Harpenden1,11314%Good 20246858 to 76
41Goffs AcademyAcademy · ages 11-18 · Waltham Cross1,57420%Good 20236657 to 74
42Barclay AcademyAcademy · ages 11-18 · Stevenage1,04424%Good 20236251 to 71
43The Thomas Alleyne AcademyAcademy · ages 11-18 · Stevenage97026%Not inspected6252 to 71
44Croxley Danes SchoolFree school · ages 11-18 · Rickmansworth1,04916%Report card 20266252 to 70
45John F Kennedy Catholic SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Hemel Hempstead1,07317%Report card 20266050 to 69
46Edwinstree Church of England Middle SchoolChurch of England · ages 9-13 · Buntingford48618%Good 20245836 to 75
47Kings Langley SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Kings Langley1,12215%Good 20245747 to 67
48Chancellor's SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Hatfield1,24118%Good 20235747 to 67
49The Reach Free SchoolFree school · ages 11-18 · Rickmansworth73421%Not inspected5645 to 67
50Tring SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Tring1,59914%Good 20235646 to 66
51The Priory SchoolFoundation · ages 11-18 · Hitchin1,22127%Good 20225545 to 65
52LeventhorpeAcademy · ages 11-18 · Sawbridgeworth1,46313%Good 20245444 to 65
53Robert Barclay AcademyAcademy · ages 11-18 · Hoddesdon82123%Good 20235342 to 65
54St Mary's Church of England High School (VA)Academy · ages 11-19 · Waltham Cross91128%Good 20235343 to 64
55The Knights Templar SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Baldock1,37520%Good 20235343 to 63
56Haileybury TurnfordAcademy · ages 11-18 · Waltham Cross1,02135%Report card 20265039 to 61
57King James Academy RoystonAcademy · ages 9-18 · Royston94719%Good 20244837 to 60
58The Hemel Hempstead SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Hemel Hempstead1,28719%Report card 20264839 to 58
59Future Academies WatfordAcademy · ages 11-18 · Watford1,06035%No overall grade 20254838 to 58
60Townsend Church of England SchoolChurch of England · ages 11-18 · St Albans74626%Good 20244837 to 59
61Goffs - Churchgate AcademyAcademy · ages 11-16 · Waltham Cross58234%Report card 20264332 to 54
62The Marlborough Science AcademyAcademy · ages 11-18 · St Albans1,33721%Good 20234031 to 50
63Birchwood High SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Bishop's Stortford1,41718%No overall grade 20253829 to 49
64Westfield AcademyAcademy · ages 11-18 · Watford1,33127%No overall grade 20243627 to 47
65Elstree Screen Arts AcademyUniversity technical college · ages 14-19 · Borehamwood52428%No overall grade 20253223 to 43
66Longdean SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Hemel Hempstead1,43626%Not inspected2821 to 36
67The Grange AcademyAcademy · ages 11-18 · Bushey92826%No overall grade 20242619 to 36
68Ridgeway AcademyAcademy · ages 11-18 · Welwyn Garden City87534%No overall grade 20252619 to 35
69Marriotts SchoolCouncil · ages 11-18 · Stevenage1,41532%Report card 20262519 to 33
70Laureate AcademyAcademy · ages 11-18 · Hemel Hempstead70339%Good 20232217 to 31
71The Highfield SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Letchworth Garden City93727%Good 20232217 to 29
72Barnwell SchoolFoundation · ages 11-18 · Stevenage1,27031%Report card 20262016 to 28
73Hertswood AcademyAcademy · ages 11-18 · Borehamwood1,14433%No overall grade 20252015 to 27
74Onslow St Audrey's SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Hatfield78732%Good 20231712 to 23
75Fearnhill SchoolFoundation · ages 11-18 · Letchworth59740%Report card 20261712 to 23
76The Sele SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Hertford38233%No overall grade 20251410 to 20
77The Adeyfield AcademyAcademy · ages 11-18 · Hemel Hempstead85834%Good 2023118 to 17
78Ralph Sadleir SchoolAcademy · ages 9-13 · Ware28317%Requires improvement 2024115 to 21
79Bushey Meads SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Bushey1,20023%No overall grade 202585 to 11
80The Astley Cooper SchoolFoundation · ages 11-18 · Hemel Hempstead91434%Report card 202643 to 6
81The John Warner SchoolAcademy · ages 11-18 · Hoddesdon72620%Inadequate 202221 to 3
Gracewood AcademyAcademy · ages 11-18 · Potters Bar42029%Requires improvement 2022–

Secondary schools by town in Hertfordshire

Baldock1 schoolsBerkhamsted1 schoolsBishop's Stortford5 schoolsBorehamwood3 schoolsBroxbourne1 schoolsBuntingford2 schoolsBushey3 schoolsHarpenden4 schoolsHatfield3 schoolsHemel Hempstead6 schoolsHertford3 schoolsHitchin3 schoolsHoddesdon2 schoolsKings Langley1 schoolsLetchworth1 schoolsLetchworth Garden City1 schoolsPotters Bar2 schoolsRickmansworth5 schoolsRoyston1 schoolsSawbridgeworth1 schoolsSt Albans9 schoolsStevenage6 schoolsTring1 schoolsWaltham Cross4 schoolsWare3 schoolsWatford6 schoolsWelwyn Garden City3 schools

Secondary schools in nearby areas

Essex81 schoolsNorfolk57 schoolsSuffolk46 schoolsCambridgeshire35 schoolsCentral Bedfordshire27 schoolsPeterborough16 schoolsBedford14 schoolsLuton13 schoolsSouthend-on-Sea12 schoolsThurrock13 schools

About this list

Schools are listed by their School Chooser Score, highest first. Schools without a score (independent schools and those with too little published data) come after, in alphabetical order. The score compares each school with schools that have a similar mix of pupils, not just with each other, so a school with a lower score in a wealthier area may still have better exam results. How the score works.