The Priory School
| Type | Secondary / Foundation school |
| Age Range | 11-18 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Bedford Road Hitchin Hertfordshire SG5 2UR |
| Phone | 01462622300 |
| Reference Number | 117499 |
The Priory School continues to be a good school with a strong emphasis on inclusivity and student support. Pupils engage well with their education, benefiting from a broad and ambitious curriculum that prepares them for their future. The school fosters positive relationships among staff and students, contributing to a calm and purposeful learning environment. Parents and carers appreciate the support their children receive, and there is a positive culture around safeguarding within the school. However, there are noted inconsistencies in how some teachers implement behavioral and instructional strategies, which can affect pupil learning.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 1242 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 51.53%
Girls: 48.47% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 23.2% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 6.7% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 21.6 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 96 | 81 | 177 |
| 8 | 102 | 108 | 210 |
| 9 | 110 | 87 | 197 |
| 10 | 115 | 88 | 203 |
| 11 | 111 | 83 | 194 |
| 12 | 50 | 76 | 126 |
| 13 | 56 | 79 | 135 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 71.4% |
| White, Other | 4.3% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 4.3% |
| Mixed, Other | 3.5% |
| White & Asian | 3.1% |
| Indian | 2.3% |
| African | 1.8% |
| Unclassified | 1.5% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.4% |
| Asian, Other | 1% |
| Caribbean | 0.7% |
| Pakistani | 0.7% |
| Chinese | 0.4% |
| Irish | 0.2% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| Last Report Date | 04 Oct 2022 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 04 Oct 2022 | School inspection |
| 10 Nov 2020 | Monitoring visit |
| 28 Feb 2017 | Short inspection |
| 19 Mar 2013 | Full inspection: |
| 02 Mar 2011 | Full inspection: |
| 13 Mar 2008 | Full inspection: |
| 11 Oct 2006 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 09 Feb 2004 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Inclusive school culture supporting all pupils including those with SEND
- Broad and ambitious curriculum with a wide range of subjects
- Positive relationships between staff and pupils
- Strong support for weakest readers through targeted interventions
- Effective personal development and careers guidance programs
- Most teachers possess strong subject knowledge and effective teaching strategies
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistency in the application of teaching strategies affecting pupil learning
- Variation in how behavioral systems are applied by some teachers
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 48.5 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 49.2% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 62.1% |
Attainment 8 Score
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Sample
UnlockPoints
| Points | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Points | 36.73 | ||
| Average Points (best 3) | 38.31 |
Grades
| School | Local | Nationwide | |
| Average Grade | B- | B- | C+ |
| Average Grade (best 3) | B- | B- | C+ |
| Percentage | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students getting AAB or better | 26.2% |
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 342 | 33 |
| Third Preference | 67 | 5 |
| From another Local Authority | 9 | 4 |
Previous Years
Sample
UnlockDestinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
| Unknown |
| Name | Distance |
|
Strathmore Infant and Nursery School
Old Hale Way, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 1XR |
0.17 miles |
|
Our Lady Catholic Primary School
Old Hale Way, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 1XT |
0.25 miles |
|
Oughton Primary and Nursery School
Mattocke Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 2NZ |
0.56 miles |
|
York Road Nursery School
York Road, Hitchin, SG5 1XA |
0.57 miles |
|
Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy
Fishponds Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 1NS |
0.61 miles |
|
Ickleford Primary School
Arlesey Road, Ickleford, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 3TG |
0.68 miles |
|
Samuel Lucas Junior Mixed and Infant School
Gaping Lane, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 2JQ |
0.83 miles |
|
St Andrew's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Hitchin
Benslow Lane, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG4 9RD |
1.12 miles |
|
Highover Junior Mixed and Infant School
Cambridge Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG4 0JP |
1.23 miles |
|
Highbury Infant School and Nursery
Standhill Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG4 9AG |
1.24 miles |
|
William Ransom Primary School
Stuart Drive, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG4 9QB |
1.43 miles |
|
Whitehill Junior School
Whitehill Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG4 9HT |
1.62 miles |
|
Purwell Primary School
Fairfield Way, Purwell Primary School, Fairfield Way Hitchin Herts. Sg40pu, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG4 0PU |
1.63 miles |
|
Mary Exton Primary School
St Michael's Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG4 0QA |
1.7 miles |
|
St Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School
Highfield, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, SG6 3QB |
1.83 miles |
|
Icknield Infant and Nursery School
Archers Way, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, SG6 4UN |
2.11 miles |
|
Wilbury Junior School
Bedford Road, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, SG6 4DU |
2.26 miles |
|
Pirton School
High Street, Pirton, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 3PS |
2.27 miles |
|
St Ippolyts Church of England Aided Primary School
Ashbrook Lane, St Ippolyts, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG4 7PB |
2.46 miles |
|
Lordship Farm Primary School
Fouracres, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, SG6 3UF |
2.63 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Hitchin Boys' School
Grammar School Walk, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 1JB |
0.81 miles |
|
Hitchin Girls' School
Highbury Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG4 9RS |
1.16 miles |
|
Fearnhill School
Icknield Way West, Letchworth, Hertfordshire, SG6 4BA |
1.79 miles |
|
The Highfield School
Highfield, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, SG6 3QA |
1.81 miles |
|
Kingshott School
Stevenage Road, Hitchin, SG4 7JX |
1.98 miles |
|
St Francis College
Broadway, Letchworth Garden City, SG6 3PJ |
2.27 miles |
|
St Christopher School
Barrington Road, Letchworth Garden City, SG6 3JZ |
2.44 miles |
|
Brandles School
Weston Way, Baldock, Hertfordshire, SG7 6EY |
4.17 miles |
|
The Saint John Henry Newman Catholic School
Hitchin Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 4AE |
4.19 miles |
|
Etonbury Academy
Stotfold Road, Arlesey, Bedfordshire, SG15 6XS |
4.24 miles |
|
The Knights Templar School
Park Street, Baldock, Hertfordshire, SG7 6DZ |
4.3 miles |
|
Pix Brook Academy
Arlesey Road, Stotfold, SG5 4HB |
4.4 miles |
|
The Thomas Alleyne Academy
High Street, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 3BE |
4.58 miles |
|
Barclay Academy
Walkern Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 3RB |
4.7 miles |
|
Henlow Church of England Academy
Church Road, Henlow, Bedfordshire, SG16 6AN |
4.85 miles |