14 schools are currently oversubscribed (over 100% capacity), while 13 schools have places available. Grammar schools are particularly competitive with all 3 exceeding capacity.
Elite Performance: Haberdashers' Boys' School ranks #26 nationally for GCSEs
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Watford's education landscape serves 22,207 students across 56 schools. With 14 schools currently oversubscribed (including all three grammar schools), competition for places at top-performing schools is intense. However, 13 schools still have capacity, including several rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted.
Watford is home to some of the UK's top-performing schools. Haberdashers' Boys' School ranks 26th nationally for GCSE results, while the three grammar schools - Watford Grammar School for Boys, Watford Grammar School for Girls, and Parmiter's School - all achieve Outstanding Ofsted ratings and rank in the top 400 nationally. With 23% of schools rated Outstanding, Watford significantly exceeds the national average for educational quality.
Parents in Watford benefit from diverse educational options: 48 state schools,7 independent schools, 29 schools with nursery provision, and 10 schools offering sixth form education. The area also serves different faith communities with 3 Church of England schools,0 Roman Catholic schools, and secular options.
