St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School, Hatfield
St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Hatfield. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 8th-highest of the 11 schools in Hatfield with published results, and 8,950th of 14,452 across England. It was 97% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Hertfordshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils at St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 67% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 76% in Hertfordshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (69% in reading, 79% in maths).
Getting a place at St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 44 families put St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School as their first choice and 105 named it as one of their preferences, for 47 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School are Oak View Primary and Nursery School (0.1 miles, Good, 78% reading, 72% maths); Hatfield Community Free School (0.2 miles, Outstanding, 80% reading, 75% maths); Countess Anne Church of England School (0.6 miles, Outstanding, 68% reading, 96% maths); and De Havilland Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 76% reading, 69% maths).
St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Oak View Primary and Nursery SchoolHatfield Community Free SchoolCountess Anne Church of England SchoolDe Havilland Primary School
Who goes there
62.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (34%), White British (20%) and Mixed (10%).
In 2026, 66 pupils (15.1%) received SEN support and 29 (6.6%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School had 27 teachers in 2026, one for every 16 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hatfield (Herts) Rail Station, about 970 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Philip Howard School (near), 50 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 378 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Hertfordshire (138), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School issued 8 suspensions, 1.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School are Bishop's Hatfield Girls' School (under 0.1 miles) and Onslow St Audrey's School (0.3 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; 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
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Everyone is welcomed at this warm and caring school. Pupils come from a diverse range of backgrounds and enjoy attending school. They celebrate each other's differences. Pupils value being at a school where the shared Catholic values unite everyone and lead to a strong sense of community.
There are warm relationships between pupils and staff throughout the school. Pupils know whom to talk to if they are worried. Pupils trust adults to listen to them and sort out any problems sensitively. This makes them feel happy and safe.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Pupils follow a broad and ambitious curriculum. From the beginning of the early years, the curriculum follows a clear sequence. In many subjects, such as mathematics, teachers receive effective training. This enables them to become experts at explaining new learning clearly. Pupils develop a deep understanding of what they learn through well-sequenced lessons. Teachers regularly check how well pupils are learning. When necessary, they provide additional opportunities for pupils to revisit prior learning.
Occasionally, in a few foundation subjects, teachers select activities that do not enable pupils to build on their learning. Sometimes, pupils repeat learning that they already know. This slows their progress.
From Ofsted's June 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its November 2014 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
24.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 69% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 79% to 67% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 69% to 45% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.4
Avg class size
26.7
Infant (KS1)
29.8
KS2
14
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School.
- Junior Adventures Group @ Hatfield AL10410m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School is a voluntary aided school, 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
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Philip Howard Catholic Primary 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
- 21
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 21 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 19 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
9 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 St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School
Will you get a place at St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Hertfordshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Philip Howard Catholic Primary 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
97%
Near capacity
421 pupils
432 places
11 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Hatfield
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Hatfield
Across Hertfordshire council
Places available
14,776
Applications
12,543
Got 1st preference
89.1%
Got preferred school
98.4%
All primary applications across Hertfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
66
SEN Support
29
EHC Plans
21.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
438
Total Pupils
226
Boys
212
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
27
Teachers
16.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,254
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,385
Per pupil
£2537k
Total funding
£148k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.7%
Overall absence
6.2%
Persistent absence
372
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School
Questions parents ask about St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 80% reached the expected standard in reading and 67% did so in maths.
What is St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Philip Howard Catholic Primary 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 St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School?
St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School?
Classes at St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School average 26.4 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School?
St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School has around 438 pupils on roll. 25% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School?
3.7% of sessions were missed at St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School in 2024/25. 6.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School: Junior Adventures Group @ Hatfield AL10 (410m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 21 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 19 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 9 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 St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School?
St Philip Howard Catholic Primary School is at Woods Avenue, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 8NN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)