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The Priory School

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Foundation school

Bedford Road, Hitchin SG5 2UR · priory.herts.sch.uk · 01462 622300

On the mapSearch near SG5 2UR

Overview

Ofsted
Remains Good
Ungraded inspection · Oct 2022
GCSEs, 2024/25
48.5
average Attainment 8 score. Hertfordshire 50.6, England 46
Last distance offered
No limit
Year 7, September 2026 entry · Hertfordshire Council
Demand for places
0.7
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
1,221
94% of 1,300 places
Local authority
Hertfordshire
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
26.5%
First language not English
7.5%
School census 2025/26

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, everyone who applied was offered a place. Source: Hertfordshire Council’s document.

For Year 7 in September 2026, 94 families put the school first and 127 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

Demand for places

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 178 (Places 195)178September 2023: 172 (Places 191)172September 2024: 139 (Places 187)139September 2025: 121 (Places 178)121September 2026: 94 (Places 127)94Places 127
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 2026127940.7100%
September 2025Sept 20251781210.7100%
September 2024Sept 20241871390.7100%
September 2023Sept 20231911720.9100%
September 2022Sept 20221951780.9100%

Last distance offered

Year 7Distance
September 2026All
September 2025All
September 2024All
September 20236.57 mi10.58 km
September 20226.69 mi10.77 km

Every applicant was offered a place (141 allocations for 180 places).

Every applicant was offered a place (201 allocations for 210 places).

Every applicant was offered a place (206 allocations for 210 places).

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 48.5, and 49.2% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Hertfordshire it was 50.6, and across England 46.

In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade B- (36.5 points per entry).

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 46.0 (England 46.3)46.02017/18: 48.7 (England 46.5)48.72018/19: 48.0 (England 46.7)48.02021/22: 49.1 (England 48.8)49.12022/23: 48.1 (England 46.3)48.12023/24: 46.5 (England 45.9)46.52024/25: 48.5 (England 46.0)48.5England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▲48.546.0
▲49.2%45.4%
●64.1%64.8%
▼32.8%40.5%
●4.284.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form48.7−3.1
Sixth form college3.1+2.1
Further education37.3−0.9
Apprenticeship3.1—
Employment3.1+0.1
Not in a lasting destination3.1−1.4
Activity not captured1.6+0.1

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252015/16: 33.0 (England 30.5)C+2016/17: 30.4 (England 31.1)C2017/18: 32.7 (England 32.1)C+2018/19: 32.4 (England 32.9)C+2021/22: 34.1 (England 37.9)C+2022/23: 36.0 (England 34.2)B-2023/24: 32.6 (England 34.4)C+2024/25: 36.5 (England 35.0)B-England 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
122 studentsB- (36.5)Above average +0.13
123 studentsB- (36.7)Above average +0.17
77 studentsMerit+ (29.1)Average -0.02
26.2%AAB or better
91.9%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/2497C+ (32.6)-0.06
2022/23109B- (36)—
2021/22110C+ (34.1)—
2018/1985C+ (32.4)0.00
2017/1878C+ (32.7)+0.04
2016/1788C (30.4)-0.09
2015/1684C+ (33)-0.08

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University65.7+12.7
Apprenticeship2.9+0.3
Employment21.6−9.2
Not in a lasting destination6.9−0.8
Activity not captured2.9−0.5

Ofsted

At an ungraded inspection on 5 October 2022, Ofsted’s outcome for The Priory School was: School remains Good.

Outcome
Remains Good
Inspected
4 Oct 2022
Ungraded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Previously: Good, graded inspection, Mar 2013

Earlier inspections

Before September 2019

  • Mar 2013Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
  • Mar 2011Requires improvement
    Outcomes for pupilsRequires improvement
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementRequires improvement
    16 to 19 study programmesGood

What parents said

95% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (266 replies, to 4 September 2023).

Recommend
95%
Replies
266
21% · 4 Sept 2023
Child is happy at school▲95% agreeEngland 88%
Child feels safe▲94% agreeEngland 89%
Pupils are well behaved▲92% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations▲93% agreeEngland 82%
Child does well▲93% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn●81% agreeEngland 82%
Told how child is doing▲92% agreeEngland 84%
Good range of subjects▲97% agreeEngland 90%
Can join clubs and activities▲98% agreeEngland 90%
Supports personal development▲86% agreeEngland 78%
Concerns are dealt with properly▲89% agreeEngland 76%

based on the 71% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▲64% agreeEngland 49%

based on the 33% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▼64% agreeEngland 67%

based on 56 parents (21%) with SEND

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