Catholic Schools / Hertfordshire
Catholic Schools in Hertfordshire
Find 46 Catholic schools in Hertfordshire. Compare Ofsted ratings, Section 48 results, faith admissions criteria and catchment areas.
46 catholic schools in Hertfordshire
Holy Rood Catholic Primary School
Watford · Primary · Mixed
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School
St Albans · Secondary · Mixed
Our Lady Catholic Primary School
Hitchin · Primary · Mixed
St Catherine's RC School
Barnet · Primary · Mixed
St Elizabeth's Centre
Hertfordshire · Special · Mixed
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School B/S
Bishop's Stortford · Primary · Mixed
St Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School
Letchworth Garden City · Primary · Mixed
St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School
Ware · Primary · Mixed
Divine Saviour Roman Catholic Primary School
Abbots Langley · Primary · Mixed
John F Kennedy Catholic School
Hemel Hempstead · Secondary · Mixed
Loreto College
St Albans · Secondary · Girls
Our Lady Catholic Primary School
Welwyn Garden City · Primary · Mixed
Pope Paul Catholic Primary School
Potters Bar · Primary · Mixed
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School
Ware · Primary · Mixed
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School and Nursery
Bushey · Primary · Mixed
Saint Albert the Great Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Hemel Hempstead · Primary · Mixed
Saint Bernadette Voluntary Catholic Primary Academy
St Albans · Primary · Mixed
Saint Joan of Arc Catholic School
Rickmansworth · Secondary · Mixed
Saint Michael's Catholic High School
Watford · Secondary · Mixed
Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Primary School
Stevenage · Primary · Mixed
St Adrian Roman Catholic Primary School
St Albans · Primary · Mixed
St Alban & St Stephen Catholic Primary School & Nursery
St Albans · Primary · Mixed
St Anthony's Catholic Primary School
Watford · Primary · Mixed
St Augustine's Catholic Primary School
Hoddesdon · Primary · Mixed
St Catherine of Siena Catholic Primary School
Watford · Primary · Mixed
St Columba's College
St Albans · All-through · Mixed
St Cross Catholic Primary School
Hoddesdon · Primary · Mixed
St Cuthbert Mayne Voluntary Catholic Junior Academy
Hemel Hempstead · Primary · Mixed
St Dominic Catholic Primary School
HARPENDEN · Primary · Mixed
St Edmund's College
Ware · All-through · Mixed
St John Catholic Primary School
Rickmansworth · Primary · Mixed
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
St Albans · Primary · Mixed
St John Roman Catholic Primary School
Baldock · Primary · Mixed
St Joseph Catholic Primary School
Watford · Primary · Mixed
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (Hertford)
Hertford · Primary · Mixed
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (Wx)
Waltham Cross · Primary · Mixed
St Margaret Clitherow Roman Catholic Primary School
Stevenage · Primary · Mixed
St Mary Roman Catholic Primary School
Royston · Primary · Mixed
St Mary's Catholic School
Bishop's Stortford · Secondary · Mixed
St Paul's Catholic Primary School
Cheshunt · Primary · Mixed
St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School
Hatfield · Primary · Mixed
St Rose's Catholic Infant School
Hemel Hempstead · Primary · Mixed
St Teresa Catholic Primary School
Borehamwood · Primary · Mixed
St Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Berkhamsted · Primary · Mixed
The Holy Family Catholic Primary School
Welwyn Garden City · Primary · Mixed
The Saint John Henry Newman Catholic School
Stevenage · Secondary · Mixed
About Catholic schools in Hertfordshire
Catholic schools in Hertfordshire are faith schools maintained by the local diocese and funded by the state as voluntary aided or academy schools, meaning they are free to attend. Most give priority to baptised Catholic children when places are oversubscribed, applying faith-based criteria - such as a baptism certificate, evidence of regular Mass attendance, and sometimes a parish priest's reference - before distance or sibling rules come into play. Admissions requirements vary school by school, so it is important to read each school's published policy and any supplementary information form carefully. Some Catholic schools in Hertfordshire are not heavily oversubscribed and may admit children of other faiths or no faith without requiring faith evidence at all.
Catholic schools in Hertfordshire cover primary and secondary phases, with some offering sixth-form provision. As well as the standard Ofsted inspection, each school is subject to a Section 48 (denominational) inspection commissioned by the diocese, which assesses the Catholic ethos, religious education and collective worship - worth reading alongside the Ofsted report. Many parents also weigh pastoral care, the school's links to the local parish and community feel, not just academic results. Ofsted ratings and progress data are a useful starting point, but visiting the school and attending an open day will give you the most rounded picture before you apply.
Choosing a school in Hertfordshire
Whether or not Hertfordshire has schools of a particular type, the same fundamentals help you compare your options. Ofsted judgements - Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement or Inadequate - summarise the quality of education, behaviour, personal development and leadership. A rating is a useful starting point, but bear in mind that some schools have not been inspected for several years and that a single word cannot capture everything about a school.
For secondary schools, Progress 8 is often more revealing than raw results. It measures how much pupils improve between the end of primary school and their GCSEs, so a school serving a less advantaged community can still post strong progress. Attainment 8 shows average achievement across eight GCSEs, and the percentage of pupils reaching grade 5 or above in English and maths is a useful benchmark. For 16-18 study, look at A-Level and applied-course results and where students go next.
Beyond the data, look at how places are allocated when a school is oversubscribed and whether your address is likely to secure one, the range of subjects and activities on offer, the sixth-form provision if you are planning ahead, and travel and transport. Above all, visit. An open day tells you more about a school's atmosphere, pastoral care and whether it will suit your child than any league table can.
Frequently asked questions
How many catholic schools are there in Hertfordshire?
There are 46 catholic schools in Hertfordshire listed on School Signal, of which 8 are rated Outstanding or Good by Ofsted.
Which Catholic school in Hertfordshire has the best Ofsted rating?
Holy Rood Catholic Primary School is among the highest rated catholic schools in Hertfordshire, judged Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection.
Do you have to be Catholic to get into a Catholic school in Hertfordshire?
Not always. When a Catholic school in Hertfordshire is oversubscribed, it will usually prioritise baptised Catholic children and apply faith criteria - such as a baptism certificate and evidence of regular Mass attendance - before admitting children of other faiths or none. Schools that are not oversubscribed may admit non-Catholic children without any faith requirement. Always check each school's admissions policy and supplementary information form, as the criteria vary between schools and dioceses.