The Sele School
57%
Capacity
396
Pupils
3.4x
Demand
About The Sele School
The Sele School is a secondary school in East Hertfordshire that parents are broadly positive about, though with some notable caveats. In the most recent Parent View survey, 73% of the 60 respondents said they would recommend the school, which is a solid if not spectacular figure. However, the school is significantly oversubscribed: for its 55 Year 7 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, it received 188 applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.42 to one. Only 25 first-preference offers were made, meaning the school is in high demand locally. Parents gave particularly strong marks for their child's happiness (81% agreed or strongly agreed) and for the range of clubs and activities (84% agreed or strongly agreed). But there are areas of concern: only 48% felt concerns were dealt with properly, and just 42% agreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need. The school has a sixth form and a chapel, and its headteacher is Christopher Quach.
Academically, the school's results are below the local average. Its Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year was -0.26, which places it in the bottom 50 nationally and ranks it 60th out of 86 secondary schools in Hertfordshire. The local authority average Progress 8 score is 0.18, so pupils here make less progress than their peers across the county. The Attainment 8 score was 41.3, and 54.7% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though only 32.6% achieved a grade 5 or above. The EBacc entry rate was low at 13.7%, and just 10.5% of pupils entered the EBacc and achieved a grade 4 or above. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2025 judged it Good across all areas, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. This was an improvement from its previous inspection in 2022, when it was rated Requires Improvement.
The school operates from a site with a range of facilities including a theatre, astro turf, playing fields, music rooms, and a sixth form centre. It offers a wide selection of sports and clubs, from rugby and swimming to Model UN and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. The school has a capacity of 699 but currently has only 396 pupils on roll, so there is room for growth. It provides support for a broad range of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Given its oversubscription, families considering The Sele School should be aware that securing a place is competitive. It may suit families who value a school that has improved its Ofsted rating and offers a strong extracurricular programme, but who are comfortable with academic outcomes that sit below the Hertfordshire average.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Welwyn Road, Hertford, East Hertfordshire, SG14 2DG |
| Headteacher | Christopher Quach |
| Local Authority | Hertfordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 396 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 31.9% |
| School Capacity | 396 / 699 (57% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
7 May 2025Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 10 Jun 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.26)
2138th of 3,141
Nationally
248th of 350
In East of England
10th of 10
In East Hertfordshire
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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2333%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 51 pupils).
- FE college57%
- School sixth form (stay)33%
- Not sustained4%
- Apprenticeship2%
- Employment2%
94% 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
2022/2378%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 9 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
4%
Russell Group
9%
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)78%
- Apprenticeship11%
- Employment11%
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- Sociology7
- Chemistry4
- English Literature3
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
60 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
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed55
188
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
25 families put this school as their 1st choice (13% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:15
Breakfast club
08:00-08:35
Source: sele.herts.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British73.2%
- Mixed8.3%
- White (other)6.6%
- Asian3.4%
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.
5
Total schools
4
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 The Sele 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
Welwyn Road, Hertford
East Hertfordshire, SG14 2DG
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Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
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