Saint Michael's Catholic High School
High Elms Lane, Garston, Watford, WD25 0SSOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Saint Michael's Catholic High School is a secondary school in Watford for ages 11 to 18. It is one of the 583 schools in Hertfordshire. It ranks 4th of 6 secondary schools in Watford. Its latest Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, graded each key judgement and gave no overall Ofsted rating.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 4 February 2025, report published 10 March 2025
This inspection graded each key judgement and gave no overall effectiveness grade.
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Outstanding
- Personal development
- Outstanding
- Leadership and management
- Outstanding
- Sixth form provision
- Outstanding
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 4 February 2025
Pupils are proud to be members of this inclusive community. They are supportive of each other, and they enjoy coming to school. They take advantage of a range of clubs, visits and opportunities that are available. These activities develop pupils' confidence and character, so they grow to become well-rounded members of the community. Pupils study a broad and ambitious curriculum. Typically, they are challenged in their thinking, and they learn well. However, this is not evident in all areas of the curriculum. As a result, some pupils are left without a secure understanding of new learning. Pupils' behaviour is highly positive. They manage their own conduct with maturity. Pupils treat each other, adults and visitors with courtesy and kindness. They make valuable contributions to school life. For instance, many pupils volunteer to support their younger peers in lessons. They build and value excellent friendships. Pupils learn about and understand the importance of respecting differences without prejudice. Pupils feel safe in school. They know how to seek help if they require it. Pupils learn about topics such as the responsible use of social media and healthy relationships. Effective careers advice and guidance help pupils to make informed choices about their next steps. They gain an insight into the challenges of adulthood, such as managing money and renting accommodation.
What the school should improve
- On occasions, teachers do not check pupils' understanding of content effectively before moving on to new learning. This means that some pupils have misconceptions that go unnoticed, and this impacts on their having a secure understanding of some important subject knowledge, so they do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that all teachers are skilled in identifying and swiftly addressing any insecure knowledge so that pupils achieve as well as they can.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
178 pupils in the year group
A level results (key stage 5), 2024/25
84 students
Average A level grade B-, England average B-
Pupil numbers and mix
1,130 pupils on roll, with places for 1,103
Schools near Saint Michael's Catholic High School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Future Academies Watford | 0.3 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding | Attainment 8: 39.8 |
| Parmiter's School | 0.3 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | Attainment 8: 66.5 |
| Stanborough Secondary School | 1 mile | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 44.1 |
| The Purcell School | 3 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 47.7 |
| Queens' School | 3 miles | Ofsted judgements: Outstanding | Attainment 8: 57.5 |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- THE DIOCESE OF WESTMINSTER ACADEMY TRUST
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr Ian Petrie
- Phone
- 01923673760
- Address
- High Elms Lane, Garston, Watford, WD25 0SS
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire
- URN
- 137922
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.