St Mary’s Church of England High School (VA) Review 2026

A large, mixed 11–19 school with a clear Church of England identity and a strong emphasis on inclusion. The site itself is a modern statement, the school moved to its current buildings in April 2010, with facilities that include a full-size sports hall, drama studios, an outdoor amphitheatre, a Learning Resource Centre, a Student Centre, and dedicated computer suites, with further classroom expansion planned.

Leadership has also been in a period of transition. Mr Richard Vaughan is the current headteacher, with a published start date of 01 January 2024. This matters because many families are trying to judge momentum, culture, and consistency rather than relying purely on historic reputation.

On outcomes, the picture is mixed in a useful way for parents. GCSE performance sits broadly in line with the middle band of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), while sixth form outcomes are weaker relative to England. That combination often suits families who value a settled, well-organised mainstream secondary experience with a sixth form option, without expecting a high-pressure academic microclimate.

The school’s own language focuses on belonging and high expectations, and that tone is visible in how student responsibility is framed. Older students are positioned as part of the support structure for Year 7 transition, and the pastoral narrative leans heavily on kindness, community, and readiness for adult life.

The ethos is explicitly Christian, with the Parable of the Sower used as a guiding story and the motto presented as Everyone is equal: everyone deserves the best. That framing tends to land well with families who want values to be present but not exclusionary. The school positions itself as welcoming to a diverse intake, and its inclusion agenda is repeatedly described as central rather than add-on.

There is also a pragmatic side to day-to-day culture. Structured routines are prominent, and the timetable expectations are clear: students are expected on site by 8.15am and in form rooms for 8.25am registration. For many families, that level of clarity reduces friction and helps anxious students know what “normal” looks like early on.

GCSE outcomes (secondary phase)

St Mary’s GCSE profile sits in the “middle 35% of schools in England” performance band (25th to 60th percentile). In the FindMySchool ranking for GCSE outcomes, it is ranked 2,059th in England and 2nd locally in the Waltham Cross area. (These are proprietary FindMySchool rankings based on official data.)

In terms of headline metrics, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 44.3 and Progress 8 is -0.07. For parents, that Progress 8 score indicates results broadly close to expectations for students with similar starting points, with a small dip below. EBacc outcomes show that 17.6% achieved grades 5 or above in the EBacc measure, and the school’s EBacc average point score is 3.96.

A-level outcomes (sixth form)

Sixth form results are a clearer challenge area in the data. The FindMySchool A-level ranking places the school 2,192nd in England and 3rd locally in the Waltham Cross area, with performance in the below-England-average band. In grades, 2.58% of entries achieved A*, and 27.74% achieved A*–B. Compared with the England averages provided for A-level outcomes (23.6% at A*–A; 47.2% at A*–B), the sixth form picture is weaker.

What this typically means in practice is that families should treat the sixth form as a viable continuation route, particularly for students who benefit from continuity and known support, but they should check subject-by-subject strength and entry requirements carefully, especially if targeting highly selective courses.

Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view these measures side-by-side with nearby schools using the Comparison Tool.

The October 2023 inspection describes an ambitious curriculum with improvements in sequencing and delivery since the previous inspection cycle, alongside whole-school approaches that guide classroom practice. In practical terms, this usually shows up as clearer lesson routines, more consistent retrieval and checking of understanding, and fewer gaps between classes when staffing changes.

Two curriculum signals stand out from published material and school communications. First, reading is treated as a priority, particularly in Key Stage 3, with the aim of building fluency and confidence early in secondary school. Second, there is a deliberate link between curriculum and future pathways, with careers guidance and work experience positioned as part of preparation for adult life rather than a Year 11 add-on.

The main teaching-and-learning consideration is consistency for students with additional needs. The October 2023 report highlights that support for some pupils with SEND was not yet consistently precise in every classroom, and early-stage reading support needed further strengthening. Families of children with identified needs should ask targeted questions about how classroom strategies are shared, monitored, and adapted across subjects.

For parents, it helps to separate “participation” from “outcomes”. The destination data for the most recent published cohort indicates that post-18 routes are varied.

For the 2023/24 leavers cohort (86 students), 52% progressed to university, 9% started apprenticeships, 21% entered employment, and 3% went into further education. This mix suggests that the sixth form is supporting multiple routes rather than assuming a single university-only model.

Oxbridge progression exists but is small-scale, which is normal for many mainstream schools. Across the measurement period provided, there were 2 applications to Oxford and Cambridge combined, and 1 acceptance, with the Cambridge pathway represented in the acceptances.

The most useful way to interpret this is not as a “pipeline”, but as evidence that highly academic applications do happen for the right individual, alongside a broader set of destinations including work and apprenticeships.

Year 7 entry, demand and competitiveness

Demand is clearly above supply. For the main Year 7 entry route, there were 318 applications for 180 offers, making the school oversubscribed with an applications-to-offers ratio of 1.77.

Because this is a faith school and its own admitting authority, families should plan for an additional step alongside the Hertfordshire coordinated application. Hertfordshire’s school directory states that an extra form (a Supplementary Information Form) is required and returned directly to the school.

Key dates for September 2026 entry (Hertfordshire secondary transfer)

Hertfordshire’s published timetable gives concrete deadlines. The online system opened 01 September 2025; the application deadline was 31 October 2025; national allocation day is 02 March 2026; and the deadline to accept the offered place is 09 March 2026.

Open events

For Year 7 entry, the school publicised a September open evening and a programme of “school in action” tours in early autumn. As these dates move annually, families should treat September and October as the typical window and check the school’s calendar for the current cycle.

Parents using distance as part of their plan should still verify realistic travel time and local pressure points. If you are shortlisting on geography, FindMySchool Map Search is the quickest way to sense-check how your route compares with patterns of demand across nearby schools.

The school’s stated priorities and inspection findings align around respectful behaviour, effective routines, and support for mental health. Safeguarding is recorded as effective in the latest graded inspection, and behaviour is described as calm and consistent with staff responding fairly when issues arise.

A practical strength for many families is the use of older students as part of transition support for Year 7, which can reduce the “cliff edge” some pupils experience moving from primary to secondary. Beyond that, parents of students who are more anxious or who need structure should look closely at how form time, student support, and communication with home are organised, as those mechanics usually matter more than headline statements.

The extracurricular picture is broad, but the most helpful detail is what is actually named and embedded rather than simply promised.

Sixth form leadership and service

Sixth form students are encouraged into Senior Prefecture and Student Council leadership, mentoring younger students, supporting literacy programmes, and contributing through voluntary work. The shape here is clear: leadership is treated as something students practise through service as well as titles.

Programmes with defined identity

St Mary’s has a set of Academy Programmes. The published examples include Phoenix Performing Arts Academy, Aspire Business and Enterprise Academy, and the ASE Football Academy. These programmes are designed to run alongside academic study, and they create a clearer pathway for students who want a structured extension beyond timetabled lessons.

The ASE Football Academy is the clearest “commitment” offer: students combine academic study with an elite training programme, with stated access to coaching and refereeing qualifications and training on grass and AstroTurf pitches. The Phoenix Performing Arts Academy is similarly explicit, with LAMDA and London School of Music (LSM) opportunities referenced, plus a named lead (Ms Deborah King).

Stretch and challenge examples

For academic stretch, the school highlights subject-specific extension such as “Club 9” in Geography, aimed at students targeting the very top grade, and STEM Club activity is also explicitly referenced in school communications. These examples matter because they show that challenge is being organised as a programme rather than left to informal teacher enthusiasm.

The school day is structured around an early start. The site opens from 7.45am with breakfast available, students are expected on site by 8.15am, and registration is at 8.25am. After school, supervised study support in the Learning Resource Centre runs from 2.55pm to 4.00pm, with other clubs typically operating until 4.30pm.

Transport-wise, the school publishes information about a school-run transport service serving areas that include Waltham Cross and neighbouring districts, alongside public transport options. Families should validate travel time at the times that matter most, early morning and after-school, rather than relying on off-peak journey planners.

• Sixth form outcomes sit below England averages. The A-level profile is weaker than the England benchmarks provided, so families should look carefully at subject availability, group sizes, and entry requirements if post-16 performance is the deciding factor.

• SEND support consistency is a live improvement area. Published inspection findings highlight that classroom-level precision for some pupils with SEND was not fully consistent at the time of the last graded inspection, so parents should ask how staff training and guidance are implemented across departments.

• Oversubscription is real, even without a published distance figure. With 318 applications for 180 offers in the latest demand snapshot, it is wise to have at least one realistic alternative on your list and to understand the role of the Supplementary Information Form in a faith-school admissions process.

• The school day starts early. The 8.15am on-site expectation suits many students, but families managing longer travel or morning anxiety should plan routines carefully.

St Mary’s is a mainstream 11–19 school with a clear Christian identity, strong routines, and an inclusion-focused message that is consistent across its public materials. GCSE outcomes sit broadly in line with the middle band of schools in England, while sixth form results are the area where families should do the most careful due diligence.

Who it suits: families in and around Cheshunt who want a structured, values-led secondary school with a sixth form option, plus defined pathways for students drawn to performing arts, enterprise, or football alongside their studies. The main constraint is admission competitiveness rather than what the school is trying to achieve once students are in.