St Mary's Catholic School
Bishop's Stortford, CM23 2NQ · Hertfordshire · secondary school
Check the area around this school
22nd 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 465 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 5.1/10 among them, against 8.4/10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 63.5 · 85 | 46% | 3.94 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.43 · 81 | 38% | 3.10 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 56.8 · 88 | 15% | 1.36 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
St Mary's Catholic School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 65.9% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 57.6, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.43 in 2023/24, indicating better progress than pupils nationally starting from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 5.5 out of 10 among them, against 8.5 out of 10 nationally.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,106 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,029. 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 maintain the positive progress scores seen in 2023/24? What specific support is available for pupils aiming to improve their attainment relative to the national median?
What Ofsted said about St Mary's Catholic School
Overview
St Mary’s Catholic School is described as a “very special community” where pupils flourish in a “caring, safe and inclusive setting.” The report highlights an “exceptional” quality of education and “remarkable” behaviour, noting that the school feels “like a family” to both staff and students.
Strengths
- The curriculum is “well-designed” and delivered by teachers with the expertise to ensure pupils “achieve consistently highly in public examinations.”
- Behaviour is “exemplary,” with pupils being “universally polite, considerate and welcoming” and engaging fully in lessons.
- The needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are met “effectively,” enabling them to “achieve highly” and produce “high-quality work.”
- Reading is prioritised with a “thoughtful approach,” resulting in pupils becoming “confident and fluent readers.”
- Sixth-form students enjoy a “broad” experience with “challenging subject content” and benefit from strong careers provision and enrichment activities.
Areas to improve
- The school has not delivered some aspects of the PSHE curriculum as strongly as others, leaving some pupils’ knowledge “less secure.” The report states the school should “continue to review and evaluate the effectiveness of its new PSHE curriculum.”
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 | 54.6 |
| 2024/25 | 57.6 |
| 2025/26 | 56.8 |
| 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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