School profile

Hitchin Girls' School

Secondary · Academy converter · Hitchin, SG4 9RS

Outstanding

Map showing Hitchin Girls' School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#217 of 3,312

Better than 93% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#553 of 2,536

Better than 78% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Hitchin Girls' School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 8 Oct 2024

Area360 rating
Outstanding
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Sixth form provision
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,357
GenderGirls
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr James Crowther
TrustHITCHIN GIRLS' SCHOOL
Local authorityHertfordshire
Opened17 Aug 2011
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 137288.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolHertfordshireEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.61.8, better than England, better than Hertfordshire50.446.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.88.9%, better than England, better than Hertfordshire71.3%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.74.5%, better than England, better than Hertfordshire53.6%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.29.8%, better than England, better than Hertfordshire18.8%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths87%, better than England, better than Hertfordshire67.2%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4208--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolHertfordshireEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.38.68, better than England, similar to Hertfordshire36.8235
Average A-level gradeB--
Average points, best three A-levels40.12, better than England, better than Hertfordshire37.435.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsB--
AAB or better14.2%, worse than England, worse than Hertfordshire19%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.08, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study159--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Dist--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,357
Girls1,357
Boys0
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.6.9%
First language not English16.2%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,400
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.3.1%
Sixth form places2024/25350
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.142
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.28
Average class size21.8

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
67.2%
Indian
6.1%
Other White
4.3%
White and Asian
3.3%
Other Asian
3%
Chinese
2.4%
Bangladeshi
2.3%
African
1.8%
White and Black Caribbean
1.5%
Other mixed
1.5%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher16.3
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.12.9
Teachers (FTE)83.2
Teaching assistants (FTE)10.25
Support staff (FTE)48.73
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2581.1
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2569.3
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/252.6
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/259.2

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.206
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.429
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.262
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.205
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)24

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolHertfordshireEngland
Overall absence6.1%, better than England, better than Hertfordshire7.4%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.14.7%, better than England, better than Hertfordshire18.5%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.2.7%, better than England, similar to Hertfordshire2.9%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate5.6%
Pupils with one or more suspensions2.9%
Permanent exclusion rate0.1%
Permanent exclusions2

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.94.1%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.91.7%
School sixth form67.6%
Further education20.6%
Sixth form college2.9%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.2.9%
Apprenticeship1.5%
Employment1%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.89.7%
Higher education69.9%
Employment16%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.7.1%
Apprenticeship2.6%
Further education1.3%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Hitchin Girls' School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miPrimaryHighbury Infant School and NurseryCommunity school
Good
0.3 miPrimarySt Andrew's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, HitchinVoluntary aided school
Good
0.4 miPrimaryWilliam Ransom Primary SchoolCommunity school
Requires improvement
0.4 miSecondaryHitchin Boys' SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
0.5 miPrimaryWhitehill Junior SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.6 miNurseryYork Road Nursery SchoolLocal authority nursery school
Outstanding
0.6 miPrimaryWilshere-Dacre Junior AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.8 miPrimarySamuel Lucas Primary SchoolCommunity school
Outstanding
0.8 miPrimaryMary Exton Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miNot applicableKingshott SchoolOther independent school
Unrated

Frequently asked questions about Hitchin Girls' School

What is Hitchin Girls' School's Ofsted rating?

Hitchin Girls' School is rated Outstanding, last inspected on 8 Oct 2024. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Hitchin Girls' School rank in England?

Hitchin Girls' School ranks 217 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 93% of schools) and 553 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (better than 78% of schools).

What are Hitchin Girls' School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 74.5% of pupils at Hitchin Girls' School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 61.8 (England 46.2).

What are Hitchin Girls' School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Hitchin Girls' School was B, and 14.2% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Hitchin Girls' School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Hitchin Girls' School made 206 offers from 429 applications (2.1 per offer), and 205 of 262 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Hitchin Girls' School?

Hitchin Girls' School has 1,357 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Hitchin Girls' School?

Hitchin Girls' School had 1,400 school places in 2024/25.

Does Hitchin Girls' School have a sixth form?

Yes, Hitchin Girls' School has a sixth form with 350 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Hitchin Girls' School?

At Hitchin Girls' School, the average class had 21.8 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 16.3 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Hitchin Girls' School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Hitchin Girls' School missed 6.1% of sessions (England 8%), and 14.7% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.