The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College

The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College has been rated as outstanding in all areas following its first inspection since becoming an academy. The school demonstrates a strong commitment to providing an exceptional quality of education, characterized by high expectations for student achievement and a supportive learning environment. Pupils thrive academically and socially, taking advantage of a rich array of extracurricular activities and leadership opportunities. The school is effectively led, and staff show considerable pride in their work.

Strengths

• High ambitions for pupil achievement.
• Strong emphasis on personal development and leadership opportunities.
• Effective curriculum that adapts to pupil needs.
• Expert subject knowledge among teachers.
• Emphasis on reading and support for struggling readers.
• Positive behaviour and exemplary conduct among pupils.
• Rich co-curricular offerings that promote wider cultural understanding.
• High-quality careers guidance and support.

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 The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College attended 92.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 27.3% 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, 1.6% of pupils at The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College 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 The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College had 17.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.4% 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, 8.0% of pupils at The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.3% 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 The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College received £8,065 and spent £7,799 for each of its 1,450 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £241,000 (£166 per pupil).

Across all 2 schools of Herts & Essex Multi Academy Trust, income was £7,594 and spending £7,316 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 Bishop'S Stortford · Hertfordshire local authority: places and applications

The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College is part of Herts & Essex Multi Academy Trust, which runs 2 schools. The nearest others:

• Manor Fields Primary School Bishop'S Stortford

What is The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College is Outstanding, from an inspection in January 2024.

When was The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College last inspected by Ofsted?

The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College was last inspected in January 2024.

How many pupils does The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College have?

The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College has 1,508 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College cover?

The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 62.0, and 70% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College?

The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College is at Warwick Road, Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, CM23 5NJ.