OFSTED
8 October 2024
Latest graded inspection
Latest published outcome
Not judged
OEIF
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour & attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Good
Leadership & management
Good
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic
Local authority
Hertfordshire
Trust
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI CATHOLIC ACADEMY TRUST
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
1,106
1,106 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
548
49.5% of pupils
Male pupils
558
50.5% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
15.5 pts
below England
School
9.3%
East Hertfordshire
10.6%
East of England
19.7%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
1.8 pts
above England
School
22.1%
East Hertfordshire
9.1%
East of England
16.4%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
0.5 pts
below England
School
0.5%
East Hertfordshire
0.7%
East of England
1.7%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
45.8%
507
African
18.3%
202
Any other White background
12.8%
142
Any other Mixed background
3.3%
37
Any other Asian background
3.1%
34
Irish
3.0%
33
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
9.4%
104 of
1,106 pupils
11.4 pts
below England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
6.6 pts
below
England
6.0%
4.9 pts
below
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
2024/25
Key stage 4 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.
ATTAINMENT 8
Average attainment score
57.6
18.4 pts
above England
Latest published: 0.43 · 2023/24
Comparisons are averages of published school-level results for open schools. They are not pupil-weighted official local authority attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
5.94%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
0.27 pts
lower than
England
School
5.94%
East Hertfordshire
5.83%
East of England
6.17%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
14.69%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
1.13 pts
lower than
England
School
14.69%
East Hertfordshire
14.32%
East of England
15.39%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
0.83%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
0.97 pts
lower than
England
School
0.83%
East Hertfordshire
1.26%
East of England
1.83%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open secondary schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
107.5%
15.2 pts
above England
St Mary's Catholic School
107.5%
East Hertfordshire
94.9%
East of England
92.9%
England
92.3%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.