John F Kennedy Catholic School, Hemel Hempstead
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 months agoReport card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
John F Kennedy Catholic School excels at helping pupils feel valued and included. The school offers an impressive range of activities and leadership opportunities that build pupils' confidence and resilience, while maintaining high academic standards particularly in English and mathematics. Staff are caring and supportive, creating an environment where pupils treat each other with kindness and respect.
Key Strengths
- Pupils achieve well, particularly in English and mathematics which are above national averages
- Excellent personal development programme with a wide range of enrichment activities including drama, orchestra and Gaelic football
- Strong careers education with work experience, careers fairs and talks from local companies
- Caring and ambitious leadership team that has created a culture of inclusion
- Very low rates of bullying with swift and effective staff response
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching quality is not yet consistently effective across all subjects - leaders are working to embed adaptive teaching approaches
- Some disadvantaged pupils do not attend school as well as they could
- Sixth form results dipped in 2025, though leaders have clear plans to improve
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and managed, and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Drama, orchestra, Gaelic football, sport, house captain roles, senior student leadership team, charity fundraising, careers fairs, Year 8 work day, work experience, Extended Project Qualification, Duke of Edinburgh's Award, youth ministry, volunteering
John F Kennedy Catholic School is a Catholic secondary school in Hemel Hempstead that has created a strong, inclusive culture based on its mission to 'inspire, achieve, serve'. The school is held in high regard by parents and the local community.
At a Glance
16.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
19.9
Avg class size
51
Total classes
5 classes with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
86%
Available places
1,073 pupils
1,243 capacity
170 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Hemel Hempstead
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Hemel Hempstead
Admissions Demand - Hertfordshire
Places available
15,354
Applications
13,699
Got 1st preference
75.8%
Got preferred school
94.7%
Secondary admissions across Hertfordshire (2025/26)
Inspection History(2)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.13443%
Overall absence
15.62156%
Persistent absence
909
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
John F Kennedy Catholic School
Micklem Primary School
Galley Hill Primary School and Nursery
Oakleaf Primary
Pixies Hill Primary School
St Cuthbert Mayne Voluntary Catholic Junior Academy
Gade Valley Primary School
St Rose's Catholic Infant School
Boxmoor Primary School
South Hill Primary School
George Street Primary School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Nearby Schools
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