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Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy

Colney Heath Lane, St Albans AL4 0TT · 01727 860079

On the mapSearch near AL4 0TT

Overview

Ofsted
Outstanding
2019 framework · inspected Nov 2023
GCSEs, 2024/25
56.4
average Attainment 8 score. Hertfordshire 50.6, England 46
Demand for places
1.1
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
1,134
78 over 1,056 places · 107%
Local authority
Hertfordshire
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
11.5%
First language not English
31.2%
School census 2025/26
Trust
The Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 194 families put the school first and 170 places were offered; 80% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 181 (Places 177)181September 2023: 209 (Places 173)209September 2024: 193 (Places 168)193September 2025: 234 (Places 172)234September 2026: 194 (Places 170)194Places 170
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20261701941.1▲80%
September 2025Sept 20251722341.4▲66%
September 2024Sept 20241681931.1▲77%
September 2023Sept 20231732091.2▲74%
September 2022Sept 20221771811▲82%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 56.4, and 64.6% 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- (35.8 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: 49.6 (England 46.3)49.62017/18: 45.4 (England 46.5)45.42018/19: 55.4 (England 46.7)55.42021/22: 52.3 (England 48.8)52.32022/23: 52.6 (England 46.3)52.62023/24: 54.4 (England 45.9)54.42024/25: 56.4 (England 46.0)56.4England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▲56.446.0
▲64.6%45.4%
▲82.9%64.8%
▲80.6%40.5%
▲5.284.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form67.8+10.9
Sixth form college0.6−0.9
Further education27.6−2.3
Apprenticeship1.1−0.4
Not in a lasting destination1.1−1.8
Activity not captured1.7−2.7

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: 28.3 (England 30.5)C-2016/17: 30.4 (England 31.1)C2017/18: 30.6 (England 32.1)C2018/19: 34.7 (England 32.9)C+2021/22: 39.3 (England 37.9)B2022/23: 31.5 (England 34.2)C2023/24: 32.3 (England 34.4)C+2024/25: 35.8 (England 35.0)B-England 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
77 studentsB- (35.8)Above average +0.21
78 studentsB- (36.1)Above average +0.23
28 studentsMerit+ (29.3)Average +0.02
16 studentsDist (33.4)Average +0.10
13%AAB or better
98.4%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/2455C+ (32.3)-0.23
2022/2352C (31.5)—
2021/2235B (39.3)—
2018/1939C+ (34.7)+0.11
2017/1857C (30.6)+0.28
2016/1769C (30.4)-0.02
2015/1667C- (28.3)-0.06

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University55.2−3.8
Further education1.5−6.2
Apprenticeship7.5+2.4
Employment20.9+0.4
Not in a lasting destination13.4+8.3
Activity not captured1.5−1.1

Ofsted

Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School was judged Outstanding at its last graded inspection, on 14 November 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.

Overall
Outstanding
Inspected
14 Nov 2023
Graded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Graded areas

Quality of educationOutstanding
Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
Personal developmentOutstanding
Leadership and managementOutstanding
Sixth formOutstanding

Previously: Improving, ungraded inspection, Oct 2021

Earlier inspections

September 2019 to November 2025

  • Oct 2021Ungraded inspectionImproving
    SafeguardingEffective

Before September 2019

  • Jun 2016Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Personal development, behaviour and welfareGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    16 to 19 study programmesGood
    SafeguardingEffective
  • Nov 2014Requires improvement
    Outcomes for pupilsRequires improvement
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentRequires improvement
    Leadership and managementRequires improvement
    16 to 19 study programmesGood

What parents said

98% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (184 replies, to 2 September 2024).

Recommend
98%
Replies
184
2 Sept 2024
Child is happy at school▲98% agreeEngland 88%
Child feels safe▲99% agreeEngland 89%
Pupils are well behaved▲99% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations▲97% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well▲98% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn▲94% agreeEngland 83%
Told how child is doing▲96% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects▲97% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities▲99% agreeEngland 90%
Supports personal development▲95% agreeEngland 79%
Concerns are dealt with properly▲95% agreeEngland 74%

based on the 59% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▲72% agreeEngland 49%

based on the 25% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▲88% agreeEngland 67%

based on 42 parents (23%) with SEND

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