The Priory School, Hitchin

In its own words: "The school is part of the Post 16 Hitchin consortium with nearly 800 students. The school is situated in the greenbelt on a 27-acre site with ample parking. The market town of Hitchin is a highly sought-after destination with excellent local amenities and transport links."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include Duke of Edinburgh and philosophy.

On phones, the school says: "In line with the school Searching, Screening and Confiscation Policy , when a mobile phone has been confiscated the school has the authority to examine any data or files on the device where there are concerns that an offence has been committed."

Coming up: an open evening on Wednesday 25 November 2026 at 6.30pm. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at The Priory School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 46.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 50.6 in Hertfordshire and 47 across England.

51% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 53% in Hertfordshire and 47% in England.

That is down from 48.5 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.05: pupils made about 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 31.7, against 51.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 19.9 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 31 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 94 families put The Priory School as their first choice and 523 named it as one of their preferences, for 127 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Priory School are Hitchin Boys' School (0.8 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 56.8); Hitchin Girls' School (1.2 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 61.8); Fearnhill School (1.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 37.5); and The Highfield School (1.8 miles, Attainment 8 42).

The Priory School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

Of the 193 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 89% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 37% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 102 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 66% went on to university or other higher education, 3% to apprenticeships and 22% into work. 28% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

7.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (72%) and Mixed (11%).

The Priory School has a resourced provision for other difficulties or disabilities, speech, language and communication needs and autism: 20 places, 20 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Hitchin Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Priory School (outside), 120 metres away.

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

In 2024/25, The Priory School issued 109 suspensions, 8.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.

The primary schools closest to The Priory School are Strathmore Infant and Nursery School (0.2 miles), Our Lady Catholic Primary School (0.2 miles), Oughton Primary and Nursery School (0.6 miles) and Wilshere-Dacre Junior Academy (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.