Saint Michael's Catholic High School, Watford
Saint Michael's Catholic High School is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 18 in Watford, part of The Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 4th-highest of the 6 schools in Watford with published results, and 1,165th of 3,298 across England. It was full in 2025, at 102% of capacity.
- GCSE results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
- Progress (2024)
- Above average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Hertfordshire (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Saint Michael's Catholic High School in detail
Saint Michael's Catholic High School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "St Michael's Catholic High School has served the local Catholic community of Garston, Watford and surrounding areas for over seventy years, and I am immensely proud and humbled to be appointed as only the sixth Headteacher in that time."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, hockey, athletics, gymnastics, dance, drama, choir and orchestra.
Coming up: an open day on Thursday 5 November 2026, an open evening on Thursday 5 November 2026, an open evening on Wednesday 2 December 2026 and an open evening on Wednesday 9 December 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Hertfordshire
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2026, pupils at Saint Michael's Catholic High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 50.6 in Hertfordshire and 47 across England.
43% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 53% in Hertfordshire and 47% in England.
That is down from 50.9 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.13: pupils made 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 40.7, against 50.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 9.9 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 20 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and Geography.
Getting a place at Saint Michael's Catholic High School
For September 2026 entry, 188 families put Saint Michael's Catholic High School as their first choice and 501 named it as one of their preferences, for 174 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 35 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Saint Michael's Catholic High School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Saint Michael's Catholic High School are Future Academies Watford (0.3 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 42.6); Parmiter's School (0.3 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 65); Queens' School (2.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 56.2); and The Marlborough Science Academy (3.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.6).
Saint Michael's Catholic High School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Future Academies WatfordParmiter's SchoolQueens' SchoolThe Marlborough Science Academy
The trust
Saint Michael's Catholic High School is one of 15 schools run by The Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 54.5 in 2024/25.
What parents say
140 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Saint Michael's Catholic High School (as of September 2025): 86% would recommend the school, 89% say their child is happy there and 62% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (91%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (62%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 174 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 94% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 36% to a further education college and 2% to an apprenticeship.
Of the 106 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 60% went on to university or other higher education, 5% to apprenticeships and 24% into work. 17% went to one of the most selective third of universities.
Who goes there
12.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 8.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (55%), Mixed (8%) and Black (7%).
Saint Michael's Catholic High School has a resourced provision: 110 places, 110 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Garston (Herts) Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Michael's RC School (outside), 60 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Saint Michael's Catholic High School issued 74 suspensions, 6.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Saint Michael's Catholic High School are St Catherine of Siena Catholic Primary School (0.2 miles), Coates Way JMI and Nursery School (0.4 miles), Mount Pleasant Lane Primary School (0.5 miles) and Alban Wood Primary School and Nursery (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
St Catherine of Siena Catholic Primary SchoolCoates Way JMI and Nursery SchoolMount Pleasant Lane Primary SchoolAlban Wood Primary School and Nursery
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from November 2014, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Saint Michael's is an inclusive, welcoming community where pupils thrive both academically and personally. Teachers are knowledgeable and engaging, and the school provides exceptional support for pupils with additional needs. The sixth form is particularly strong, preparing students extremely well for their next steps through excellent careers advice and independent learning opportunities.
Key Strengths
- Pupils' behaviour is highly positive and mature, with excellent friendships and support for each other
- Strong personal development programme preparing pupils well for life in modern Britain
- Excellent sixth-form provision with strong pastoral care and effective careers guidance
- Teachers use expert subject knowledge to explain concepts clearly and anticipate pupil mistakes
- High attendance rates achieved through close work with families
Areas for Improvement
- Some teachers do not check pupils' understanding effectively before moving to new content, leaving misconceptions unaddressed
- Inconsistent use of questioning routines across the school to identify what pupils have not understood
- Not all areas of the curriculum provide sufficient challenge to all pupils
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with clear reporting procedures and a strong open and positive culture.
Extracurricular Activities
Clubs, visits, volunteering opportunities supporting younger peers, fundraising for local and international charities, employer encounters, media company inputs
Saint Michael's Catholic High School is an inclusive community where pupils are proud members and enjoy coming to school. The school provides a broad and ambitious curriculum with highly positive behaviour and outstanding personal development.
About
Saint Michael's Catholic High School is a co-educational secondary school, specialist college and sixth form located in Garston, a suburb of Watford, Hertfordshire. In September 2010, Edward Conway succeeded headteacher John Murphy.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
12.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Resourced provision
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
140 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has declined from 0.24 to 0.13 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has declined from 54.4 to 48.8 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has declined from 57% to 43% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 48.8 | 43.3% |
| Disadvantaged(33) | - | 40.7 | 27.3% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(147) | - | 50.6 | 46.9% |
| Boys(91) | - | 46.7 | 41.8% |
| Girls(89) | - | 50.9 | 44.9% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(21) | - | 57.0 | 61.9% |
| Non mobile(176) | - | 48.8 | 43.8% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 174 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
0
Permanent exclusions
0.00%
Exclusion rate
74
Suspensions
6.60%
Suspension rate
48 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 1,121 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with Saint Michael's Catholic High School
Term dates
Saint Michael's Catholic High School is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Hertfordshire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Saint Michael's Catholic High School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Saint Michael's Catholic High School is in Hertfordshire; for families living there:
- Hertfordshire's school travel policy: Read the home to school transport policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 7
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 0 serious and 6 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Saint Michael's Catholic High School
Will you get a place at Saint Michael's Catholic High School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Saint Michael's Catholic High School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Saint Michael's Catholic High School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Saint Michael's Catholic High School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Hertfordshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Saint Michael's Catholic High School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Hertfordshire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
102%
Over capacity
1,119 pupils
1,100 places
19 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Watford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Watford
Across Hertfordshire council
Places available
15,222
Applications
13,456
Got 1st preference
77.5%
Got preferred school
94.9%
All secondary applications across Hertfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
124
SEN Support
43
EHC Plans
14.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Saint Michael's Catholic High School has a resourced provision: 110 places, 110 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
1,130
Total Pupils
590
Boys
540
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
65
Teachers
17.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£58,004
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,999
Per pupil
£6619k
Total funding
£144k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.9%
Overall absence
18.1%
Persistent absence
913
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Saint Michael's Catholic High School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Saint Michael's Catholic High School
What are GCSE results like at Saint Michael's Catholic High School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Saint Michael's Catholic High School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 48.8. 43% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Saint Michael's Catholic High School's Ofsted rating?
Saint Michael's Catholic High School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Saint Michael's Catholic High School?
No fixed boundary. When Saint Michael's Catholic High School is oversubscribed, Hertfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Saint Michael's Catholic High School?
Saint Michael's Catholic High School was full in 2025, at 102% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Saint Michael's Catholic High School?
Classes at Saint Michael's Catholic High School average 23.4 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Saint Michael's Catholic High School?
Saint Michael's Catholic High School has around 1130 pupils on roll. 13% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Saint Michael's Catholic High School have specialist SEN provision?
Saint Michael's Catholic High School has a resourced provision: 110 places, 110 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Saint Michael's Catholic High School?
6.9% of sessions were missed at Saint Michael's Catholic High School in 2024/25. 18.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Saint Michael's Catholic High School?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Saint Michael's Catholic High School on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Saint Michael's Catholic High School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 0 serious and 6 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Saint Michael's Catholic High School?
Saint Michael's Catholic High School is at High Elms Lane, Garston, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD25 0SS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)