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St Mary's Catholic School

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy

Windhill, Bishop's Stortford CM23 2NQ · stmarys.net · 01279 654901

On the mapSearch near CM23 2NQ

Overview

Ofsted
No overall grade
2019 framework · inspected Oct 2024
GCSEs, 2024/25
57.6
average Attainment 8 score. Hertfordshire 50.6, England 46
Demand for places
0.8
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
1,106
77 over 1,029 places · 107%
Local authority
Hertfordshire
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
10.1%
First language not English
22.1%
School census 2025/26
Trust
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 147 families put the school first and 182 places were offered; 95% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 204 (Places 187)204September 2023: 165 (Places 185)165September 2024: 152 (Places 184)152September 2025: 132 (Places 183)132September 2026: 147 (Places 182)147Places 182
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20261821470.895%
September 2025Sept 20251831320.7100%
September 2024Sept 20241841520.895%
September 2023Sept 20231851650.991%
September 2022Sept 20221872041.1▲82%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 57.6, and 65.9% 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 C (29.3 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: 56.0 (England 46.3)56.02017/18: 56.5 (England 46.5)56.52018/19: 52.8 (England 46.7)52.82021/22: 57.5 (England 48.8)57.52022/23: 54.3 (England 46.3)54.32023/24: 54.6 (England 45.9)54.62024/25: 57.6 (England 46.0)57.6England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▲57.646.0
▲65.9%45.4%
▲89.2%64.8%
▲67.6%40.5%
▲5.334.09

Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 117594)

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form66.7−6.5
Sixth form college1.6+0.5
Further education28+6.1
Apprenticeship2.2+0.6
Employment0.50
Not in a lasting destination1.10

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: 33.9 (England 30.5)C+2016/17: 34.5 (England 31.1)C+2017/18: 35.6 (England 32.1)B-2018/19: 34.4 (England 32.9)C+2021/22: 36.2 (England 37.9)B-2022/23: 34.7 (England 34.2)C+2023/24: 34.9 (England 34.4)C+2024/25: 29.3 (England 35.0)CEngland 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
86 studentsC (29.3)Below average -0.28
86 studentsC (29.4)Below average -0.29
27 studentsDist- (33.2)Above average +0.44
9.4%AAB or better
96.1%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/24106C+ (34.9)+0.16
2022/2395C+ (34.7)—
2021/2295B- (36.2)—
2018/19100C+ (34.4)+0.04
2017/1883B- (35.6)+0.02
2016/1791C+ (34.5)+0.14
2015/1688C+ (33.9)+0.09

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University72+18.1
Apprenticeship1.9−7.9
Employment15−17.4
Not in a lasting destination8.4+6.4
Activity not captured2.8+1.8

Ofsted

Ofsted inspected St Mary's Catholic School on 8 October 2024 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.

Overall
No overall grade
Inspected
8 Oct 2024
Graded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Graded areas

Quality of educationOutstanding
Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood
Sixth formGood

Previously: Outstanding, graded inspection, Oct 2012

Earlier inspections

Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 117594), which Ofsted links to this one.

Before September 2019

  • Oct 2012Outstanding
    Outcomes for pupilsOutstanding
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentOutstanding
    Leadership and managementOutstanding

    Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 117594)

  • Oct 2007Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    16 to 19 study programmesGood

    Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 117594)

What parents said

77% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (150 replies, to 1 September 2025).

Recommend
77%
Replies
150
13% · 1 Sept 2025
Child is happy at school●88% agreeEngland 89%
Child feels safe●90% agreeEngland 90%
Pupils are well behaved▼76% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations●82% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well▼82% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn▼75% agreeEngland 84%
Told how child is doing▼78% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects▼81% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities▲97% agreeEngland 91%
Supports personal development▼72% agreeEngland 79%
Concerns are dealt with properly▼66% agreeEngland 77%

based on the 85% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▼42% agreeEngland 50%

based on the 31% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▼47% agreeEngland 67%

based on 23 parents (15%) with SEND

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