St Mary's Catholic School
Windhill, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 2NQOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St Mary's Catholic School is a secondary school in Bishop's Stortford for ages 11 to 18. It is one of the 583 schools in Hertfordshire. It ranks 3rd of 5 secondary schools in Bishop's Stortford. Its latest Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, graded each key judgement and gave no overall Ofsted rating.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 8 October 2024, report published 11 December 2024
This inspection graded each key judgement and gave no overall effectiveness grade.
- Quality of education
- Outstanding
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Outstanding
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Sixth form provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 8 October 2024
St Mary's is a very special community to be part of. The school provides an environment that enables its pupils to flourish in a caring, safe and inclusive setting. Pupils and staff alike describe the school community as feeling 'like a family'. Pupils are confident that they can talk to adults about their worries and know that they will be taken seriously. The school's expectations of pupils are consistently high. Pupils rise to this challenge. As a result, pupils are welcoming to visitors. They speak respectfully to one another and adults. Equally, adults model the behaviours they expect of pupils. Pupils feel included and celebrate difference. They can learn in a school that encourages them to be kind and well-mannered. Students in the sixth form enjoy their education. They feel their experience is broad and they have opportunities to extend and consolidate their knowledge. They very much feel part of the 'St Mary's family'. Educational trips form a fundamental part of the school experience. For example, pupils have the opportunity to visit Bletchley Park, New York and CERN. They also enjoy the chance to participate in activities and events that help to develop resilience and work as part of a team. These contribute to pupils building their confidence.
What the school should improve
- The school has not delivered some aspects of the PSHE curriculum as strongly or effectively as many others. As a result, some pupils' knowledge of some areas of PSHE is less secure. The school should continue to review and evaluate the effectiveness of its new PSHE curriculum.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
185 pupils in the year group
A level results (key stage 5), 2024/25
86 students
Average A level grade C, England average B-
Pupil numbers and mix
1,106 pupils on roll, with places for 1,029
Schools near St Mary's Catholic School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop's Stortford College | 0.3 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 23.4 |
| Hockerill Anglo-European College | 0.7 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 61.7 |
| The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College | 0.8 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | Attainment 8: 63.6 |
| Avanti Grange Secondary School | 1 mile | Ofsted judgements: Outstanding | Not published |
| Birchwood High School | 1 mile | Ofsted judgements: Good | Attainment 8: 46.1 |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI CATHOLIC ACADEMY TRUST
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Headteacher Deirdre McHugh
- Phone
- 01279654901
- Address
- Windhill, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 2NQ
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire
- URN
- 148499
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.