Saint Joan of Arc Catholic School

  • Secondary
  • Academy
  • Ages 11 to 18
Ofsted: Good

High Street, Rickmansworth, WD3 1HGOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Saint Joan of Arc Catholic School is a secondary school in Rickmansworth for ages 11 to 18. It is one of the 583 schools in Hertfordshire. It ranks 4th of 5 secondary schools in Rickmansworth. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in December 2013.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 5 December 2013, report published 22 January 2014

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 18 October 2023

Pupils feel happy, safe and valued, whatever their background, within the Catholic identity of this school. The school prioritises the well-being and personal development of pupils. They receive high-quality guidance and care, which helps them to become better citizens. Pupils are proud of their school and enjoy their lessons. The school has high expectations that all pupils will learn and remember the curriculum. This includes those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are well supported to meet these expectations. They work very hard as a result. They typically remember and can recall the knowledge and concepts studied. Pupils attend school regularly, arrive promptly and behave well. They are polite and courteous. They move around the site showing consideration for others. Teachers deal with any slips in the normal high standards of behaviour fairly and consistently. On the rare occasions where bullying occurs, pupils know who they can talk with, so that it stops. Pupils have a wide range of opportunities to contribute to the life of the school. They can attend various clubs, visits and trips. For example, pupil-led music forms a key part of the school's regular festivals and celebrations.

What the school should improve

  • Teachers do not always receive the subject-specific training they need to help some pupils deepen and extend their knowledge and understanding sufficiently. As a result, these pupils do not always achieve as well as they could. The school needs to ensure that there is a coherent programme of subject-specific training in place.
  • Subject departments are not providing enough opportunities for pupils to read within each curriculum subject area. This means that pupils are not developing their subject- specific vocabulary. The school needs to ensure that there is a consistent approach across subjects to promote subject-specific reading.

Exam results

GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25

205 pupils in the year group

Attainment 8 score50.6

50.6, 4.5 above the England average of 46.1.

Grade 5 or above in English and maths56.1%

56.1%, 10.7 percentage points above the England average of 45.4%.

Grade 4 or above in English and maths75.1%

75.1%, 10.3 percentage points above the England average of 64.8%.

Pupils entering the EBacc53.2%

53.2%, 12.7 percentage points above the England average of 40.5%.

EBacc average point score4.46

4.46, 0.37 above the England average of 4.09.

A level results (key stage 5), 2024/25

90 students

Average point score per A level entry32.43

32.43, 2.57 below the England average of 35.00.

Average A level grade C+, England average B-

Pupil numbers and mix

1,198 pupils on roll, with places for 1,243

Eligible for free school meals10.5%

10.5%, 16 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language17.9%

17.9%, 3.7 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support7.4%

7.4%, 7.4 percentage points below the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan2.3%

2.3%, 3.7 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near Saint Joan of Arc Catholic School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Rickmansworth School0.5 milesOfsted: OutstandingAttainment 8: 61.2
Royal Masonic School for Girls0.6 milesNo Ofsted inspectionAttainment 8: 66.2
Croxley Danes School2 milesReport card: Expected standard to strong standardAttainment 8: 51.3
The Reach Free School2 milesOfsted: GoodAttainment 8: 44.2
Merchant Taylors' School2 milesNo Ofsted inspectionAttainment 8: 21.7

School details

School type
Academy converter
Sector
Academy
Trust
ALL SAINTS CATHOLIC ACADEMY TRUST
Age range
11 to 18
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic
Sixth form
Yes
Headteacher
Ms Sadie Whyte
Address
High Street, Rickmansworth, WD3 1HG
Local authority
Hertfordshire
URN
137914

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.