Simon Balle All-Through School
151%
Capacity
1,561
Pupils
5.2x
Demand
About Simon Balle All-Through School
Simon Balle All-Through School is clearly a popular choice among local families. In the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 635 applications for just 123 Year 7 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 5.16. That means more than five families applied for every available spot. Of those, 152 put it down as their first preference, and all 123 first-preference applicants were offered a place. The school is a state-funded, mixed secondary with a 4-18 age range, so it also has its own sixth form. It sits in East Hertfordshire, part of Hertfordshire local authority, and is rated Outstanding by Ofsted following its most recent graded inspection in 2018 and an ungraded inspection in 2024 that confirmed it remains Outstanding. The school is led by joint headteachers Rachel Kirk and Mike Moss. With 1,561 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,037, it is operating well above its official capacity, which helps explain the intense competition for places.
Academically, Simon Balle performs strongly. Its Progress 8 score of 0.45 is well above the Hertfordshire local authority average of 0.18, and the school ranks 5th out of 10 schools in East Hertfordshire on this measure. Nationally, it sits in the top 25% of schools by Progress 8. The Attainment 8 score is 52.9, and 82.4% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is 45.5%, with 35.2% achieving the EBacc at grade 4 or above. At A-level, the school’s value added score of 0.43 is classed as well above average, and the average points per entry is 39.98, equivalent to a B grade. The best three A-levels average out at a B grade too. In its most recent Ofsted inspection, leadership and management, overall effectiveness, and early years provision were all rated Outstanding, while sixth form provision was rated Good.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a theatre, art studios, music rooms, science labs, a sixth form centre, and a chapel. Sports include rowing, netball, hockey, and football, and there are plenty of clubs such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model UN, debating, and a science club. Simon Balle has a wide SEND offer, covering dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 10.4% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a relatively mixed intake. Given its strong results, Outstanding rating, and high demand, this school will suit families who want a high-performing all-through state option with a strong sixth form and a busy extracurricular programme. The nearest other Outstanding school is Presdales School, 2.9 km away.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 4 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Mangrove Road, Hertford, East Hertfordshire, SG13 8AJ |
| Headteacher | Rachel Kirk and Mike Moss |
| Local Authority | Hertfordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,561 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 10.4% |
| School Capacity | 1,561 / 1,037 (151% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
25 Apr 2024Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Latest inspection (25 Apr 2024): School remains Outstanding
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 20 Jun 2018. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.45)
575th of 3,141
Nationally
61st of 350
In East of England
5th 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
39.5
'22/23
35.8
'23/24
40.0
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
2022/2368%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 174 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)68%
- FE college22%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Not sustained3%
- Employment2%
- Sixth form college1%
97% 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
2022/2361%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 122 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
20%
Russell Group
22%
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)61%
- Employment23%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Not sustained6%
- Further education2%
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- Mathematics36
- Psychology33
- Economics25
- Biology21
- Sociology17
- Government and Politics16
- Physics14
- Art and Design (3d Studies)13
- Chemistry12
- English Literature12
- Music12
- Environmental Science11
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
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed123
635
Extremely High Demand
Very competitive - significantly more applications than places
152 families put this school as their 1st choice (24% 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 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%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British80.8%
- Mixed7.2%
- White (other)6.9%
- Asian2.7%
- Black0.3%
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.
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.
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 Simon Balle All-Through 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
Mangrove Road, Hertford
East Hertfordshire, SG13 8AJ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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