Richard Hale School

Richard Hale School has been rated as good overall, demonstrating strong performance across various domains such as the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. The school excels in creating a positive learning environment where pupils can thrive academically while also building character through extensive extra-curricular opportunities and comprehensive pastoral support. The curriculum is ambitious and well-structured, equipping students with the necessary skills to succeed in national examinations and prepare for their futures, including higher education.

Strengths

• Pupils display thoughtful behaviour rooted in the school's values.
• Staff build positive relationships with pupils, fostering a happy learning environment.
• The curriculum is ambitious and enhanced by comprehensive planning.
• Teachers use effective questioning to check understanding.
• Well-supported pupils with SEND benefit from tailored strategies.
• Strong careers guidance helps students plan for their futures.
• High-quality vocational and academic options in the sixth form.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum links in a small number of subjects need further clarity.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Richard Hale School attended 94.6% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 12.0% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 4.0% of pupils at Richard Hale School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Richard Hale School had 16.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 6.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 11.1% of pupils at Richard Hale School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.2% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Richard Hale School received £7,687 and spent £7,637 for each of its 1,209 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £861,000 (£712 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Hertford · Hertfordshire local authority: places and applications

What is Richard Hale School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Richard Hale School is Good, from an inspection in September 2024.

When was Richard Hale School last inspected by Ofsted?

Richard Hale School was last inspected in September 2024.

How many pupils does Richard Hale School have?

Richard Hale School has 1,207 pupils on roll.

What age range does Richard Hale School cover?

Richard Hale School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Richard Hale School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 54.0, and 61% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Richard Hale School?

Richard Hale School is at Hale Road, Hertford, Hertfordshire, SG13 8EN.