Loreto College, St Albans

In 2026, pupils at Loreto College averaged an Attainment 8 score of 56.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 50.6 in Hertfordshire and 47 across England.

62% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 53% in Hertfordshire and 47% in England.

That is down from 58.3 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.71: 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 44.8, against 59.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 14.3 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, French and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 129 families put Loreto College as their first choice and 444 named it as one of their preferences, for 146 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 18 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Loreto College are Verulam School (0.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 54.4); St Albans Girls' School (1.2 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 60.7); Samuel Ryder Academy (1.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 52.4); and Beaumont School (1.3 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 63).

Loreto College's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

Loreto College is run by its own single-school academy trust.

140 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Loreto College (as of September 2025): 95% would recommend the school, 91% say their child is happy there and 66% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (66%).

Of the 159 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 96% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 11% to a further education college and 1% into work.

Of the 79 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 72% went on to university or other higher education, 1% to apprenticeships and 14% into work. 24% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

14.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 26.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (34%), Black (17%) and Mixed (11%).

In 2026, 173 pupils (18.2%) received SEN support and 13 (1.4%) 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.

Loreto College had 69 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest railway station is St Albans City Rail Station, about 300 metres away (roughly a 4-minute walk).

16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Loreto College (outside), 130 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 378 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Hertfordshire (138), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Loreto College issued 43 suspensions, 4.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Loreto College are Maple Primary School (0.2 miles), Alban City School (0.2 miles), Aboyne Lodge Junior Mixed and Infant School (0.4 miles) and St Alban & St Stephen Catholic Primary School & Nursery (0.4 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.