The Sele School, Hertford

From the headteacher's welcome: "The Sele School is a vibrant and inclusive community where students feel safe, valued and inspired to succeed. Respectful relationships, a calm atmosphere and high expectations underpin daily life, enabling all students to flourish both academically and personally."

On phones, the school says: "Mobile phones will be handed in at the beginning of the day and stored securely until they are handed back during form time at the end of each day or at the end of a correction if your child needs to stay late after school."

In 2026, pupils at The Sele School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 35.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 50.6 in Hertfordshire and 47 across England.

28% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 53% in Hertfordshire and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 35.7.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.26: pupils made below 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 30, against 37.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 7.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 19 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Art and Design, Combined Science and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 45 families put The Sele School as their first choice and 168 named it as one of their preferences, for 75 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 Sele School are Richard Hale School (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 54); Simon Balle All-Through School (1.5 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 52.9); The Chauncy School (2.7 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 49.4); and Presdales School (3.1 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 58.7).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than The Sele School.

60 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Sele School (as of September 2025): 73% would recommend the school, 82% say their child is happy there and 48% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (82%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (48%).

Of the 95 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 82% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 47% to a further education college and 5% to an apprenticeship.

Of the 12 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 17% went on to university or other higher education, 25% to apprenticeships and 42% into work.

In 2026, 93 pupils (24.3%) received SEN support and 31 (8.1%) 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 autism.

The nearest railway station is Hertford North Rail Station, about 770 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Turpins Close (outside), 70 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Sele School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 4th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 60 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Hertfordshire (138).

In 2024/25, The Sele School issued 172 suspensions, 43.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Sele School are Hollybush Primary School (0.1 miles), Hertford St Andrew CofE Primary School (0.2 miles), St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (Hertford) (0.4 miles) and Mill Mead Primary Academy (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.