John F Kennedy Catholic School

About John F Kennedy Catholic School

John F Kennedy Catholic School is a mixed secondary in Dacorum, Hertfordshire, with a current roll of 1,078 pupils against a capacity of 1,243, meaning it is not yet full but is clearly in demand. For the 2025/26 admissions cycle, the school received 423 applications for 158 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.68, and made 136 offers to first-preference applicants out of 154 who listed it as their top choice. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 13.9%, which is above the national average for secondary schools and suggests the school serves a relatively diverse socioeconomic intake. As a Roman Catholic school, it will prioritise applicants from practising Catholic families, though the oversubscription figures indicate strong interest from the wider community too. The school has a dedicated sixth form and offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, chapel, and sixth form centre, alongside extensive sports and club provision.

Academically, the school achieves a Progress 8 score of 0.15, which is rated as 'Average' and sits just below the Hertfordshire local authority average of 0.18. This places it 39th out of 86 state secondaries in the county, and 3rd out of 9 schools within Dacorum itself. Its Attainment 8 score of 50.9 is solid, and 79.2% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though the more demanding grade 5+ threshold drops to 56.2%. At A-level, the school performs above average, with a value-added score of 0.2 and a progress banding of 'Above average'. The average points per entry is 33.12, equivalent to a C+ grade, and the best three A-levels average out at a C+ as well. Only 13.9% of entries achieved AAB or higher, which is modest but reflects the school's inclusive intake. The most recent Ofsted inspection in 2017 rated the school Good overall, with leadership and management also Good, a downgrade from its previous Outstanding rating in 2009.

The school is well equipped to support a wide range of needs, with SEND provisions covering dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. This makes it a practical choice for families whose children require additional support within a mainstream setting. Facilities are strong for a state school, with music rooms, art studios, a library, astro turf, sports hall, gymnasium, and playing fields, plus a theatre and chapel. Clubs include coding, chess, gardening, science club, debate, newspaper, eco club, orchestra, art club, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. For families prioritising academic outcomes, the school offers reliable progress at GCSE and above-average value added at sixth form, though it is not among the highest-performing schools in the county. Its Catholic character, strong facilities, and broad extracurricular programme make it particularly suited to families who want a community-focused secondary with good pastoral support and a clear set of values.

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