Schools by area › Hertfordshire › The Highfield School
The Highfield School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy
Highfield, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3QA · highfield.herts.sch.uk · 01462 620500
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected May 2023
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 41.7
- average Attainment 8 score. Hertfordshire 50.6, England 46
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Year 7, September 2026 entry · Hertfordshire Council
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 937
- 88% of 1,068 places
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 27%
- First language not English
- 9%
- 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, 121 families put the school first and 130 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
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 130 | 121 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 170 | 132 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 170 | 136 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 176 | 157 | 0.9 | 94% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 172 | 157 | 0.9 | 100% |
Last distance offered
| Year 7 | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | All | |
| September 2022 | All | |
| September 2025 | 5.55 mi8.94 km | |
| September 2023 | 1.93 mi3.11 km | |
Every applicant was offered a place (148 allocations for 180 places).
Every applicant was offered a place (2 children with no preference met were placed there).
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 41.7, and 40.4% 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+ (32.4 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼41.7 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼40.4% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼55.0% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼22.8% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.55 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 117537)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 41.9 | +0.5 |
| Sixth form college | 4.2 | −1.5 |
| Further education | 43.7 | +1.6 |
| Other education | 0.6 | −0.1 |
| Employment | 1.2 | −0.9 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 7.8 | +2.1 |
| Activity not captured | 0.6 | −0.1 |
Published for the predecessor school (URN 117537)
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 74 students | C+ (32.4) | Average +0.07 | |
| 74 students | C+ (32.5) | Average +0.07 | |
| 15 students | Dist- (31.6) | Above average +0.58 | |
| Tech level6 students | Dist- (32.5) | Average +0.11 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 54 | C+ (32) | +0.01 |
| 2022/23 | 70 | C+ (32.4) | — |
| 2021/22 | 62 | C+ (31.8) | — |
| 2018/19 | 67 | C+ (33.4) | -0.13 |
| 2017/18 | 58 | C (30.8) | +0.05 |
| 2016/17 | 63 | C (30.3) | -0.03 |
| 2015/16 | 98 | C (28.6) | -0.10 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 48.4 | −18.8 |
| Further and other education | 4.8 | +1.7 |
| Further education | 3.2 | — |
| Other education | 1.6 | — |
| Apprenticeship | 6.5 | +0.2 |
| Employment | 27.4 | +10.2 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 6.5 | +1.8 |
| Activity not captured | 6.5 | +4.9 |
Ofsted
The Highfield School was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 17 May 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 17 May 2023
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 117537)
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Requires improvement |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Sixth form | Good |
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Jun 2013
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 117537), which Ofsted links to this one.
Before September 2019
Jun 2013Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Outstanding Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 117537)
Feb 2010Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Good 16 to 19 study programmes Good Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 117537)
What parents said
18% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (11 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 18%
- Replies
- 11
- 1% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 100% who raised concerns
based on the 73% who had a child bullied