Ridgeway Academy
76%
Capacity
929
Pupils
1.5x
Demand
About Ridgeway Academy
Ridgeway Academy is a mixed state secondary in Hertfordshire, serving the Welwyn Hatfield area. Among the five secondary schools in the borough, it ranks fifth by Progress 8 score, placing it at the bottom of the local league table. For context, the top-performing schools in the same local authority include Sandringham School, Yavneh College, and Dame Alice Owen's School, all of which achieve significantly higher Progress 8 scores. Ridgeway’s ranking within the wider Hertfordshire local authority is 68th out of 86 same-type schools, and nationally it sits in the bottom 50 tier. The school has a capacity of 1,220 but currently houses 929 pupils, and it is oversubscribed for Year 7 entry in 2025/26, with 246 applications for 168 places and 88 first-preference offers. Just over 31% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average.
Academically, Ridgeway’s most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2025 judged the school Good across all areas, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership, and sixth-form provision. This marks a clear improvement from its previous inspection in January 2023, when the school was rated Requires Improvement overall. At Key Stage 4, the school’s Progress 8 score is -0.47, meaning pupils achieve nearly half a grade less per subject than the national average, and well below the Hertfordshire local authority average of 0.18. Attainment 8 sits at 37.9, and just 27.4% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is low at 8.3%, and only 5.4% achieved the EBacc at grade 5 or above. In the sixth form, the school’s value-added score is -0.14, rated as Average, with an average points per entry of 29.51, equivalent to a grade C.
Ridgeway offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, sports hall, gymnasium, playing fields, music rooms, a sixth-form centre, and a chapel. Sports on offer include rowing, rugby, football, dance, and rounders, while clubs range from Debate and Model UN to Coding, Science Club, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The school’s SEND provisions cover a wide spectrum, including support for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. Parent views from the 2024/25 period show 64% would recommend the school, though responses are mixed: 80% agree their child is happy, but only 53% agree that SEND children receive the support they need, and 41% disagree that concerns are dealt with properly. This school may suit families in Welwyn Hatfield looking for a Good-rated secondary with strong extracurricular breadth and a sixth form, but who are aware that academic outcomes are below the local average.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Herns Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Welwyn Hatfield, AL7 2AF |
| Headteacher | Sarah Mitcherson |
| Local Authority | Hertfordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 929 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 31.7% |
| School Capacity | 929 / 1,220 (76% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
3 Jun 2025Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 7 Jul 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.47)
2568th of 3,141
Nationally
296th of 350
In East of England
5th of 5
In Welwyn Hatfield
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less 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
30.0
'22/23
27.8
'23/24
29.5
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
2022/2329%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 116 pupils).
- FE college49%
- School sixth form (stay)29%
- Not sustained9%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Employment5%
91% 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
2022/2358%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 50 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
16%
Russell Group
16%
Top-third HE
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)58%
- Employment30%
- Not sustained10%
- Apprenticeship2%
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- Business Studies:Single5
- History5
- Government and Politics4
- Media/Film/Tv Studies4
- Sociology4
- Art and Design (Photography)3
- Film Studies3
- French3
- Mathematics3
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.
Ofsted Parent View
252 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed168
246
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
88 families put this school as their 1st choice (36% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:10
Breakfast club
08:15-08:30
Source: ridgeway.herts.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British75.3%
- Mixed9.6%
- White (other)7.0%
- Asian2.8%
- Black0.2%
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
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given 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.
10
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
8
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 Ridgeway Academy
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
Herns Lane, Welwyn Garden City
Welwyn Hatfield, AL7 2AF
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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