Hitchin Girls' School, Hitchin

In its own words: "Our school possesses a strong ethos; the environment is familial and supportive, and we value each other. We embrace innovation whilst being aware of our history and traditions. We are diverse yet we have a strong identity."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, hockey, cricket, tennis, athletics, gymnastics, dance, drama and orchestra.

In 2026, pupils at Hitchin Girls' School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 61.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 50.6 in Hertfordshire and 47 across England.

75% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 53% in Hertfordshire and 47% in England.

That is up from 57.8 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.62: pupils made well above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 45.3, against 63.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 18.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 30 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Social Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 262 families put Hitchin Girls' School as their first choice and 429 named it as one of their preferences, for 206 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 57 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Hitchin Girls' School are Hitchin Boys' School (0.4 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 56.8); The Priory School (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46.5); The Highfield School (1.9 miles, Attainment 8 42); and Fearnhill School (2.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 37.5).

Hitchin Girls' School's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

323 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Hitchin Girls' School (as of September 2025): 94% would recommend the school, 92% say their child is happy there and 58% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (95%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (58%).

Of the 204 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 92% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 21% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 156 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 70% went on to university or other higher education, 3% to apprenticeships and 16% into work. 32% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

6.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 142 pupils (10.5%) received SEN support and 28 (2.1%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

The nearest railway station is Hitchin Rail Station, about 710 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hollow Lane (se-bound), 210 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Hitchin Girls' School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 225 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Hertfordshire (138), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Hitchin Girls' School issued 76 suspensions, 5.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Hitchin Girls' School are Highbury Infant School and Nursery (0.2 miles); St Andrew's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Hitchin (0.3 miles); William Ransom Primary School (0.4 miles); and Whitehill Junior School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.