Classpot

St Mary's Church of England High School (VA)

Broxbourne, EN7 5FBSecondaryAges 11–19MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Oct 2023
Progress 8
-0.07
Below average
−20+2
Competition
0.6×
Not oversubscribed
107 1st-choice / 180 places
Ranking
#1,698
of 3,141 nationally

About St Mary's Church of England High School (VA)

St Mary's Church of England High School (VA) sits within the Broxbourne borough of Hertfordshire, a local authority with 86 secondary schools, 26 of which hold an Outstanding rating. The school itself is ranked 52nd in the county by Progress 8 score, placing it in the bottom half of Hertfordshire secondaries. Among its local peers, the top-performing schools are Sandringham School, Yavneh College, and Dame Alice Owen's School, each with significantly higher Progress 8 scores. Within Broxbourne specifically, St Mary's ranks 6th out of 7 schools, a position that reflects the competitive landscape of the area. The school is a mixed, Church of England secondary with a sixth form, led by headteacher Richard Vaughan. It is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 318 applications for 180 places, with 107 first-preference offers made. That oversubscription ratio of 1.77 suggests strong local demand, even if the school's academic ranking is more modest compared with the top-tier schools in the wider county.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 19 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterChurch of England
AddressLieutenant Ellis Way, Waltham Cross, Broxbourne, EN7 5FB
HeadteacherRichard Vaughan
Local AuthorityHertfordshire
Number of Pupils982
Free School Meals (FSM)30.9%
School Capacity982 / 1,400 (70% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

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    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
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  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
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    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
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    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

10 Oct 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form Provision
Good

Source: Ofsted, 15 Nov 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

10
Tennis CourtsPlaying FieldsSwimming PoolICT SuiteSports HallMusic RoomsTheatreAstro TurfSixth Form CentreChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

18

Sports

CricketAthleticsRowingNetballRugbyBadmintonMartial Arts

Clubs & Activities

CodingDramaBook ClubEco ClubArt ClubChoirOrchestraChessGardeningScience ClubModel United Nations

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyMulti-SensoryOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:25 – 14:55

Breakfast club

07:45-08:15

After-school care

14:55-16:00

Source: st-maryshigh.herts.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About St Mary's Church of England High School (VA)

St Mary's Church of England High School (VA) has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.