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Watford Grammar School for Boys

Watford, WD18 7JFSecondaryAges 11–18BoysState
Ofsted Rating
Outstanding
Oct 2021
Progress 8
+0.72
Well above average
−20+2
Competition
1.8×
Oversubscribed
387 1st-choice / 215 places
Ranking
🏆Top 10%
#265 of 3,141 nationally

About Watford Grammar School for Boys

Watford Grammar School for Boys sits a long way ahead of the Hertfordshire average when it comes to academic progress. Its Progress 8 score of 0.72 is four times the local authority average of 0.18, which places the school firmly in the 'well above average' national banding. That gap is not just a statistical quirk — it reflects consistent, strong outcomes across the board. In the East of England, the school ranks 34th out of 350 secondaries, and nationally it sits in the top nine per cent of all schools. Within Watford itself, it is the second-highest ranked school for Progress 8 out of four, and across the whole of Hertfordshire it comes 12th out of 86 schools of the same type. For a boys' state school with a Church of England character, these are punchy numbers that put it in a different league from most local options.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderBoys
Religious CharacterChurch of England
AddressRickmansworth Road, Watford, Watford, WD18 7JF
HeadteacherIan Cooksey
Local AuthorityHertfordshire
Number of Pupils1,610
Free School Meals (FSM)6.2%
School Capacity1,610 / 1,496 (108% full)
Sixth FormYes

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

13 Oct 2021
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of Education
Outstanding
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
Sixth Form Provision
Outstanding

Source: Ofsted, 1 Dec 2021. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

11
Playing FieldsMusic RoomsDining HallGymnasiumSports HallTennis CourtsAstro TurfTheatreLibraryChapelSixth Form Centre

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

19

Sports

GymnasticsSwimmingCross CountryAthleticsRoundersNetballHockeyRowingTennis

Clubs & Activities

Model United NationsEco ClubBook ClubOrchestraChoirNewspaperScience ClubDuke of EdinburghYoung EnterpriseDebate

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

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:30 – 15:15

Source: watfordboys.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Watford Grammar School for Boys

Watford Grammar School for Boys has been rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted. This means the school provides an exceptional quality of education, and pupils thrive both academically and personally.