Watford Grammar School for Boys
Watford, WD18 7JF · Hertfordshire · secondary school
Check the area around this school
10th 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 273 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 6.8/10 among them, against 9.4/10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 88 | 35% | 3.07 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 84.4 · 96 | 30% | 2.87 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.72 · 91 | 25% | 2.29 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 66.3 · 96 | 10% | 0.96 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Watford Grammar School for Boys overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 83.3% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 68.9, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.72 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 6.5 out of 10 among them, against 9.4 out of 10 nationally. The school was inspected in April 2026 under the new report-card framework, which grades each area separately and gives no overall grade.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join the Duke of Edinburgh, Journalism, Young Engineers, and Fathers Book Club. Sports include rugby, hockey, cricket, cross country, athletics, tennis, badminton, and table tennis. Arts and music cover productions and Art & Design. Trips go to Murcia, Sicily, Paris, Cologne, Canada, the USA, Portugal, and India.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,590 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,496. 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 many places are there in the entry year, and how many families applied last year?
What Ofsted said about Watford Grammar School for Boys
Overview
The report describes a school that is "firing on all cylinders," where pupils’ wellbeing and academic excellence go hand in hand. Leaders have created an environment where pupils receive a "remarkably high-quality education" and are eager to attend school and achieve superbly well.
Strengths
- Pupils "consistently attain the highest grades" in examinations, with disadvantaged pupils outperforming national averages.
- The curriculum is "underpinned by extensive educational research and intellectual rigour," cultivating a love of learning.
- The school is "highly inclusive," ensuring pupils with special educational needs or disabilities thrive and are fully integrated.
- Leadership standards are "remarkably high," with staff enthusiastically engaging in research and sharing best practice internationally.
- Pupils are "impeccably well behaved," demonstrating maturity, kindness, and a deep understanding of civic engagement.
Areas to improve
- Leaders should "continue to refine their attendance strategy in order to sustain high rates of attendance for all pupils."
Safeguarding
The safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing "an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility" and concerns are actively identified and managed.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 66.5 |
| 2024/25 | 68.9 |
| 2025/26 | 66.3 |
| 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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