Richard Hale School
Hertford, SG13 8EN · Hertfordshire · secondary school
Check the area around this school
32nd of 78 secondary schools in Hertfordshire we can score, 82 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 444 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 3.7/10 among them, against 7.9/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 60.8 · 82 | 30% | 2.47 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.31 · 73 | 25% | 1.83 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 54.0 · 83 | 10% | 0.83 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Richard Hale School overview
How it's doing
Ofsted rated the school Good in September 2024. In 2024/25, 65.7% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 56.3, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.31 in 2023/24, indicating better progress than pupils nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 4.2 out of 10 among them, against 8.2 out of 10 nationally.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,207 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,218. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to improve their progress scores relative to similar-intake peers? What specific support is available for students aiming to raise their Attainment 8?
What Ofsted said about Richard Hale School
Overview
The report describes Richard Hale School as a ‘happy place to learn and work in’, where pupils live out the vision of ‘learning with virtue’. Leaders have driven ‘significant improvements’ since the previous inspection, resulting in an ambitious curriculum and high-quality sixth-form provision. The school is rated ‘Good’ across all inspection categories.
Strengths
- Pupils ‘behave well in and out of lessons’ due to positive relationships with staff and a strong emphasis on respect.
- Teachers use ‘clear explanations’ and ‘helpful questions’ to check understanding, enabling pupils to ‘perform highly in national examinations’.
- Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are ‘well supported’ through effective use of ‘pupil passports’ and trained teaching assistants.
- The school offers ‘extensive extra-curricular opportunities’, including residential trips and a ‘super-curriculum’, preparing pupils well for future careers and higher education.
- Leaders have reduced staff workload pressures and maintain ‘clear communication’ with the community, fostering trust and support.
Areas to improve
- In a ‘small number of subjects’, the curriculum ‘does not always make clear links between new and previous learning’. The school must continue development to ensure knowledge is built in ‘incremental steps’ so pupils can retain what they learn.
Safeguarding
The report states that ‘the arrangements for safeguarding are effective’.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 53.8 |
| 2024/25 | 56.3 |
| 2025/26 | 54.0 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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