Saint Michael's Catholic High School

About Saint Michael's Catholic High School

Saint Michael's Catholic High School holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2025, but the detail tells a more nuanced story. Inspectors judged behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision all as Outstanding, while quality of education was rated Good. The school's Progress 8 score of 0.13 is positive, meaning pupils on average achieve about a tenth of a grade more per subject than similar students nationally, and it sits within the 'Average' progress banding. That said, the local authority average Progress 8 for Hertfordshire is 0.18, so Saint Michael's is slightly below the county norm. In the Three Rivers district, the school ranks 5th out of 7 secondary schools on this measure, placing it in the bottom half locally. Its Attainment 8 score of 51.2 is solid, and 75.9% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, though the figure drops to 50.6% when using the higher grade 5 threshold.

At A-level, the picture is more mixed. The school's value-added score of -0.2 is classed as 'Below average', meaning students typically leave sixth form with slightly lower grades than their prior attainment would predict. Points per entry sit at 34.95, equivalent to a C+ grade, and the average grade across the best three A-levels is a B-. Around 11.9% of entries achieved grades AAB or higher. The sixth form itself was rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and with 89 pupils in the cohort, it is a relatively small but well-regarded provision. On the EBacc measure, 36.8% of Key Stage 4 pupils entered the full suite of subjects, and 27% achieved a grade 4 or above across all five components. The school's EBacc average point score of 4.5 reflects a solid middle-ground performance. Parents are broadly positive: 86% would recommend the school, and 89% agree or strongly agree that their child is happy there.

The school is heavily oversubscribed, with 490 applications for 175 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, a ratio of 2.8 applicants per place. Of those, 143 first-preference offers were made from 171 first-preference applications, so securing a place is competitive. Facilities include a swimming pool, sports hall, astro turf, tennis courts, science labs, a chapel, and a dedicated sixth form centre. The school offers a wide range of SEND provisions, covering needs from dyslexia and moderate learning difficulties to autism, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. However, the Parent View data shows some concern here: of the 19% of respondents with SEND children, only 41% agreed or strongly agreed that the school gives them the support they need, while 56% disagreed or strongly disagreed. This is a significant point for families considering the school for a child with additional needs. Saint Michael's is a Roman Catholic state secondary in Three Rivers, and its strong behaviour culture and personal development focus make it a good fit for families who prioritise structure and faith-based values, though academic outcomes are solid rather than exceptional compared with the strongest local competitors.

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