Richard Hale School
99%
Capacity
1,209
Pupils
2.7x
Demand
About Richard Hale School
Richard Hale School is a boys’ secondary in Hertfordshire that is running very close to full capacity, with 1,209 pupils on roll against a school capacity of 1,218. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 9.2%, which is below the national average for secondary schools and suggests a relatively advantaged intake. Demand for places is strong: for entry in 2025/26, the school received 467 applications for 175 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.67, and 158 of those offers went to first-preference applicants out of 196 who put the school first. That level of competition reflects its reputation in the local area, where it sits 32nd out of 86 state secondaries in Hertfordshire. The school is non-denominational and has no religious character, so admissions are not tied to faith criteria. It also has a dedicated Sixth Form centre, and while it is not a boarding school, its facilities include a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, and astro turf.
Academically, Richard Hale delivers results that are comfortably above the local authority average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.31 is well ahead of the Hertfordshire average of 0.18, and the school is ranked 7th out of 10 schools in East Hertfordshire on this measure. Nationally, it sits in the top 26% of schools by Progress 8. At GCSE, 82.9% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and 69.7% entered the EBacc suite of subjects. The EBacc average point score was 5.07. In the Sixth Form, the school’s value-added score of 0.28 is rated as above average, and the average points per entry was 38.69, equivalent to a B grade. The best three A-levels averaged a B grade as well. Ofsted’s most recent inspection in July 2024 rated the school Good across all categories, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership, with the Sixth Form also judged Good.
The school is well equipped for a broad range of activities, with facilities that include a gymnasium, science labs, ICT suites, playing fields, and a Sixth Form centre. Sports on offer include rowing, hockey, cricket, tennis, and swimming, and there is a strong co-curricular programme with clubs for choir, drama, chess, coding, debate, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, and Model United Nations. For pupils with additional needs, the school provides support for a wide range of SEND categories, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, hearing and visual impairments, and physical disabilities. Given its strong academic outcomes, oversubscribed admissions, and above-average Progress 8, Richard Hale is a good fit for families who want a high-performing boys’ grammar-style school in a state setting, particularly those who can meet the competitive entry criteria and live within a reasonable commuting distance of Hertford.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Boys |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Hale Road, Hertford, East Hertfordshire, SG13 8EN |
| Headteacher | Ian Hawkins |
| Local Authority | Hertfordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,209 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 9.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,209 / 1,218 (99% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
9 Jul 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 19 Sept 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.31)
811th of 3,141
Nationally
83rd of 350
In East of England
7th of 10
In East Hertfordshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
38.1
'22/23
34.3
'23/24
38.7
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2380%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 178 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)80%
- FE college13%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Not sustained2%
98% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2351%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 145 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
27%
Russell Group
32%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)51%
- Employment28%
- Apprenticeship10%
- Not sustained7%
- Further education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Mathematics53
- Media/Film/Tv Studies36
- History35
- Business Studies:Single34
- Geography28
- Psychology28
- Physics27
- Economics23
- Chemistry20
- English Literature19
- Physical Education / Sports Studies18
- Biology16
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed175
467
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
196 families put this school as their 1st choice (42% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% 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
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British80.6%
- Mixed6.4%
- White (other)4.0%
- Asian3.6%
- Black0.7%
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
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Better than half of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% 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.
6
Total schools
5
Oversubscribed
4
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 Richard Hale School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Hale Road, Hertford
East Hertfordshire, SG13 8EN
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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