School profile

Loreto College

Secondary · Academy converter · St Albans, AL1 3RQ

Outstanding

Map showing Loreto College

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#417 of 3,312

Better than 87% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#1,370 of 2,536

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Loreto College Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 15 Oct 2024

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

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils952
GenderGirls
Religious characterRoman Catholic
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMrs Lucy Thompson
TrustLORETO COLLEGE (ST ALBANS)
Local authorityHertfordshire
Opened01 May 2012
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 138106.

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.56.2, better than England, better than Hertfordshire50.446.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.79.2%, better than England, better than Hertfordshire71.3%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.61.6%, better than England, better than Hertfordshire53.6%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.15.7%, similar to England, worse than Hertfordshire18.8%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths77.4%, better than England, better than Hertfordshire67.2%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4159--

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 10.33.14, similar to England, worse than Hertfordshire36.8235
Average A-level gradeC+--
Average points, best three A-levels32.79, worse than England, worse than Hertfordshire37.435.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC+--
AAB or better7.4%, worse than England, worse than Hertfordshire19%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.15, better than England--
A-level progressAbove average, better than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study76--
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 pupils952
Girls946
Boys6
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.14.4%
First language not English26.5%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.960
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.0.8%
Sixth form places2024/25120
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.173
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.13
Average class size20.9

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
33.9%
Other White
15.7%
African
13.6%
Irish
4.8%
Other Asian
3.7%
Other mixed
3.4%
Chinese
3.4%
White and Black African
2.7%
White and Asian
2.7%
White and Black Caribbean
2.2%

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 teacher15.2
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.12.1
Teachers (FTE)62.52
Teaching assistants (FTE)8.58
Support staff (FTE)27.93
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2561.7
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2554.9
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/252.8
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/254

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.146
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.444
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.129
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.111
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)145

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 absence7.4%, better than England, similar to Hertfordshire7.4%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.19.3%, better than England, similar to Hertfordshire18.5%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.2.4%, 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 rate4.6%
Pupils with one or more suspensions3.4%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

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.96.2%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.95.6%
School sixth form77.4%
Further education11.3%
Sixth form college4.4%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.2.5%
Employment0.6%
Apprenticeship0%

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.88.6%
Higher education72.2%
Employment13.9%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.7.6%
Further education1.3%
Apprenticeship1.3%

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 Loreto College
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miPrimaryMaple Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.2 miPrimaryAlban City SchoolFree schools
Good
0.3 miNot applicableSt Albans High School for GirlsOther independent school
Unrated
0.3 miNot applicableSt Albans Independent CollegeOther independent school
Good
0.4 miPrimaryAboyne Lodge Junior Mixed and Infant SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.4 miPrimarySt Alban & St Stephen Catholic Primary School & NurseryAcademy converter
Good
0.5 miPrimarySt Peter's SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.6 miSecondaryVerulam SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.6 miPrimaryBernards Heath Infant and Nursery SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.6 miNurseryMuriel Green Nursery SchoolLocal authority nursery school
Good

Frequently asked questions about Loreto College

What is Loreto College's Ofsted rating?

Loreto College is rated Outstanding, last inspected on 15 Oct 2024. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Loreto College rank in England?

Loreto College ranks 417 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 87% of schools) and 1,370 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (similar to most schools).

What are Loreto College's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 61.6% of pupils at Loreto College got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 56.2 (England 46.2).

What are Loreto College's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Loreto College was C+, and 7.4% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Loreto College?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Loreto College made 146 offers from 444 applications (3 per offer), and 111 of 129 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Loreto College?

Loreto College has 952 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Loreto College?

Loreto College had 960 school places in 2024/25.

Does Loreto College have a sixth form?

Yes, Loreto College has a sixth form with 120 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Loreto College?

At Loreto College, the average class had 20.9 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.2 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Loreto College?

In 2025/26, pupils at Loreto College missed 7.4% of sessions (England 8%), and 19.3% 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.