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Watford Grammar School for Girls

Watford, WD18 0AESecondaryAges 11–18GirlsState
Ofsted Rating
Outstanding
Mar 2024
Progress 8
+0.74
Well above average
−20+2
Competition
1.6×
Oversubscribed
340 1st-choice / 208 places
Ranking
🏆Top 10%
#243 of 3,141 nationally

About Watford Grammar School for Girls

Watford Grammar School for Girls is a highly sought-after state secondary, and the numbers tell a clear story of parental demand. For the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 849 applications for just 208 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 4.08. Of those, 340 families put it as their first preference, and 164 first-preference offers were made. This level of competition is a strong signal of the school’s reputation among local parents. While the school does not publish a formal parent satisfaction survey, the sheer volume of applications — more than four times the number of places — speaks for itself. The school is a Church of England girls’ school for ages 11 to 18, with a current roll of 1,429 pupils, slightly above its official capacity of 1,310. Headteacher Sylvia Tai leads a school that has consistently been rated Outstanding by Ofsted, most recently in a March 2024 inspection that awarded top marks across every category, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and sixth-form provision.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderGirls
Religious CharacterChurch of England
AddressLady's Close, Watford, Watford, WD18 0AE
HeadteacherSylvia Tai
Local AuthorityHertfordshire
Number of Pupils1,429
Free School Meals (FSM)6.5%
School Capacity1,429 / 1,310 (109% full)
Sixth FormYes

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

5 Mar 2024
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of Education
Outstanding
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
Sixth Form Provision
Outstanding

Source: Ofsted, 24 Apr 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

8
Swimming PoolAstro TurfTennis CourtsGymnasiumSixth Form CentreSports HallPlaying FieldsChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

20

Sports

FootballBadmintonRowingGymnasticsMartial ArtsHockeySwimmingCross CountryAthleticsRugby

Clubs & Activities

CodingArt ClubBook ClubChoirDuke of EdinburghGardeningYoung EnterpriseModel United NationsNewspaperDebate

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

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingLearning DifficultyOther

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:30 – 15:20

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Watford Grammar School for Girls

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