Our Lady Catholic Primary School
73%
Capacity
166
Pupils
2.3x
Demand
About Our Lady Catholic Primary School
Our Lady Catholic Primary School in North Hertfordshire was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2018. The school now holds Good marks across all five Ofsted categories, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. On the key academic metric for primary schools, 63% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined at Key Stage 2 in the 2023/24 academic year. That figure sits just below the Hertfordshire local authority average of 64%, placing the school 25th out of 38 primary schools in North Hertfordshire and in the bottom half nationally. However, the school’s reading results are notably stronger, with 84% of pupils reaching the expected standard and 41% achieving the higher standard, compared with 28% in maths and 31% in writing.
The school’s average scaled scores tell a similar story: reading sits at 107, maths at 104. Progress scores for reading, writing and maths are not available in the data, so it is not possible to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points. With 18.7% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a slightly above-average proportion of disadvantaged children for a state primary. The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 51 applications for 22 places, with 17 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.32. This suggests strong local demand, particularly from Catholic families given the school’s Roman Catholic religious character.
The school is smaller than average, with 166 pupils against a capacity of 226, meaning there is some room for growth. Facilities include a library, sports hall, chapel, art studios, sensory room and an outdoor playground. The school offers a range of clubs including film, gardening, eco and chess, and fields teams in football, rounders, tennis, netball and athletics. SEND provision covers specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. For families prioritising a faith-based primary with improving Ofsted outcomes and a strong reading record, this school is worth a close look, though the maths and writing results may give pause to those focused on all-round academic attainment.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 5 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Old Hale Way, Hitchin, North Hertfordshire, SG5 1XT |
| Headteacher | Sarah Snowball |
| Local Authority | Hertfordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 166 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 18.7% |
| School Capacity | 166 / 226 (73% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
5 Jul 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 21 Sept 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (63%)
6849th of 13,686
Nationally
737th of 1,612
In East of England
25th of 38
In North Hertfordshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
63%
Expected Standard
13%
Higher Standard
'22/23
61%
'23/24
63%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
6Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
9Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed22
51
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
17 families put this school as their 1st choice (33% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:15
Breakfast club
07:45-08:45
After-school care
15:15-17:30
Source: ourladys.herts.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White British42.2%
- Asian12.0%
- White (other)9.6%
- Mixed9.6%
- Black1.2%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
9
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
6
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Our Lady Catholic Primary School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Old Hale Way, Hitchin
North Hertfordshire, SG5 1XT
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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