Nemo Sibi Nascitur (No one is born for themselves alone). This motto, dating from Thomas Parmiter's 1681 bequest, still shapes daily life at this semi-selective state school on the Hertfordshire border. Sixty acres of grounds that would not look out of place at an independent school, Outstanding in every Ofsted category, and results that place it among the top 100 state schools in England; the challenge here is not the education but getting through the door. With over 1,400 applications for 216 Year 7 places, Parmiter's ranks as Hertfordshire's most oversubscribed school.
The school occupies a generous campus in Garston, where seven form entry creates a community of around 1,464 students. The buildings themselves are typical 1970s comprehensive architecture, yet the fabric hints at deeper roots. A stained glass remembrance window and wooden honours boards displaying the names of former heads connect this modern campus to its origins in Bethnal Green, where Thomas Parmiter, a wealthy silk merchant, left funds in his will for almshouses and a free school for ten poor children.
The original school opened in 1722 in what is now Grimsby Street. After wartime bombing destroyed the Gloucester Street premises, the school eventually moved to Hertfordshire in 1977, transforming from a boys' grammar into a co-educational, all-ability comprehensive. Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the current site on 11 December 1981, marking the tercentenary of Parmiter's bequest. Though the school has been in Hertfordshire for nearly five decades, its connections to the East End remain strong through the Parmiter's School Foundation Charity.
Anthony Smith took over as Headmaster in April 2025, arriving from Reach Free School Rickmansworth where he served as deputy head. He succeeds Michael Jones, under whose leadership the school achieved its most recent Outstanding rating. The atmosphere is purposeful but not oppressive. The 2024 Ofsted inspection noted that throughout the school, including the sixth form, pupils thrive. Students describe the environment as strict but fair, with a house system creating smaller communities within the larger cohort.
Diversity is a genuine strength. Buses pull students from a wide arc — from urban Harrow and Stanmore through to St Albans and Hemel Hempstead — giving the school a healthy mix of backgrounds. Around 9% of students have English as an additional language. Student-led societies, including an Afro-Caribbean Society, celebrate this diversity.
Results place Parmiter's firmly among England's top-performing state schools. At GCSE in 2024, 59.3% of grades were 9-7 (the equivalent of the old A*-A), with 41.2% at grades 9-8. The Attainment 8 score of 68.3 places the school well above the England average of 45.9.
The school ranks 283rd in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official DfE data), placing it in the top 10% of schools in England. Locally, it sits 2nd among secondary schools in Watford.
Perhaps more striking is the Progress 8 score of +0.74, indicating that students make well above average progress from their starting points regardless of prior attainment. This reflects the school's success with its mixed intake; 25% of places are allocated on academic ability, but the majority arrive through proximity, sibling connection, or music aptitude.
Mathematics and science consistently produce the strongest results at GCSE, with languages also performing well. The curriculum requires all students to study at least one modern foreign language to GCSE.
At A-level, 76.1% of grades were A*-B, with 49.7% at A*-A. These figures exceed the England average of 47.2% for A*-B and 23.6% for A*-A.
The school ranks 262nd in England for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in the top 10% of schools in England. Within Watford, it ranks 2nd for sixth form performance.
Politics, history and economics generate particularly strong results. Sciences, mathematics and English remain the most popular A-level choices. Most students take three A-levels plus the Extended Project Qualification. A compulsory liberal studies course brings weekly external speakers covering practical topics from tenancy agreements to UCAS applications.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
A-Level A*-B
76.08%
% of students achieving grades A*-B
GCSE 9–7
59.3%
% of students achieving grades 9-7
Year 7 begins mixed‑ability, with sets introduced from Year 8 in maths, languages and science. French starts in Year 7, with Spanish or German added from the following year. Latin is available as an extracurricular option and proves popular.
Seven form entry means around 216 students per year group in the main school, rising further in sixth form to approximately 392. Most students take nine GCSEs, with no early exam entries. Teachers are credited with imparting knowledge effectively while developing independent thinking and intellectual curiosity. The school received recognition from the DfE specifically for its value-added scores and high proportion of EBacc students.
The school does not offer vocational courses, maintaining a firmly academic focus throughout. This suits students who thrive in traditional classroom environments but may not serve those better suited to practical or technical pathways.
Learning support is well-resourced. Over 100 pupils, around 7% of the cohort, appear on the SEN register at any time. A full-time SENCo works with a team of teaching assistants to support needs ranging from dyslexia and dyscalculia to ASD and physical or visual impairments, through both withdrawal sessions and in-class intervention.
Quality of Education
Outstanding
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
Around 75% of the 2024 leavers progressed to university, with approximately 90% of those remaining after GCSEs heading to higher education. Popular destinations include nottingham, birmingham, warwick, plus manchester and sussex. The school has maintained a consistent record of Oxbridge placements; in the measurement period, 36 students applied and 10 secured places, split equally between Oxford and Cambridge.
Popular degree choices currently range from law and psychology to economics and English, as well as aerospace engineering. The school actively promotes alternatives to university, with increasing numbers entering apprenticeships, particularly in engineering fields with employers such as Jaguar and Rolls Royce. In 2024, 3% of leavers began apprenticeships and 11% moved directly into employment.
Roughly a quarter of students leave after GCSEs, mainly for employment or vocational college courses. The school provides thorough preparation for university applications through the liberal studies programme and dedicated careers guidance.
Parmiter's admits 216 students each September through a layered admissions system that makes it one of the most complex state school entries in the region.
The allocation breaks down as follows. Children with an EHCP naming the school and looked-after children receive priority. The next 10% of places (approximately 22) go to those living closest to the school. Siblings account for the largest single category, with 82 places in 2024. Staff children whose parent has worked at the school for at least two years receive around 5 places.
Academic selection accounts for up to 25% of places (54). Candidates sit verbal reasoning and mathematics tests administered by the South West Herts Consortium, which includes Watford Boys' Grammar School, Watford Girls' Grammar School, Rickmansworth School, Queens' School, Croxley Danes School and St Clement Danes School. Places are awarded strictly by ranked score; there is no minimum pass mark.
Music aptitude selection accounts for up to 10% (21 places), determined through a two-round audition process. Remaining places go by proximity.
Crucially, 95% of academic and music places are reserved for candidates living within specific postcodes: WD3 to WD25, AL1, AL2, AL3, HP1, HP2, HP3 and HA6. Only 5% (3 academic, 1 music) are available to candidates from other areas.
The subscription ratio of 7.33 applications per place makes this Hertfordshire's most oversubscribed school. In 2024, there were 1,451 applications for 198 available places.
Parents should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their precise distance from the school gates compared to previous years' allocations.
External applicants are welcome for Year 12 entry. All students, internal and external, must achieve a minimum of 33 points from their best six GCSE results, calculated using the 9-1 scale. Individual A-level subjects may have additional prerequisites.
Around 400 applicants compete for roughly 50–60 external places each year, and offers go to about half. Applications close Friday 16 January 2026 at 4pm for September 2026 entry. Mathematics and Further Mathematics students sit an entrance test before the autumn term.
The Sixth Form Open Evening takes place on Thursday 16 October 2025, 6pm to 8.30pm.
Applications
1,451
Total received
Places Offered
198
Subscription Rate
7.3x
Apps per place
The house system creates smaller communities within the large school, with each house competing in events throughout the year. Pastoral care receives strong praise from inspectors and students alike. The 2024 Ofsted report observed that students are well integrated into the Parmiter's family and build excellent friendships.
The school describes itself as inclusive on matters of race, religion and sexuality, including transgender issues. Behavioural issues are reportedly rare; when they occur, the approach is consistent. Rewards include raffle tickets and postcards home for achievements.
Mobile phones must be turned off during the school day. This policy creates phone-free corridors and classrooms, though it may feel restrictive to students accustomed to constant connectivity.
The co-curricular programme runs before school, at break time, lunchtime and after school. The Ofsted inspection described the offer as remarkable and integral to school life.
With 10% of places allocated through music aptitude, the musical culture runs deep. Orchestras, bands, choirs and ensembles operate at various levels. The Touring Choir and Touring Strings have performed across Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. The Jam Jar, the school's band room equipped with PA system, guitar amp, bass amp, keyboard and drum kit, opens at lunchtime for student musicians. Termly concerts showcase talent across the school.
Around 150 students participate in the annual Performing Arts Show, performed at a professional theatre. Lavish annual productions span musicals, classical plays and more experimental pieces. A yearly Fringe Festival — sparked by a drama trip to Edinburgh for sixth formers — adds another strand to the creative calendar.
The grounds stretch to about 60 acres, with a full‑size 3G astroturf and seven football pitches, plus floodlit tennis and netball courts. The Thomas Parmiter Sports Centre adds a sports hall, gym, dance studio and fitness suite. Two periods of PE are compulsory through to Year 11, with clubs available every lunchtime and after school.
Recent sporting highlights include four teams reaching district football finals and three making district hockey finals, plus regional‑final appearances in handball, badminton and table tennis. The dance programme is particularly popular, with 12 different clubs each week covering various styles, many led by student leaders. The annual gym and dance show has been performed at venues including Watford Palace Theatre.
Student-led societies flourish. FemSoc, the Attenborough Club, Christian Union, Deutsch AG, and a coding club operate alongside more traditional offerings. The Leadership Academy develops organisational and communication skills through sports leadership and peer mentoring.
The DofE programme enjoys strong support, with 120 students currently working towards Bronze awards. In 2024-25, the school awarded 184 Bronze, 35 Silver and 29 Gold awards. Over 200 students have already enrolled for Bronze in 2025-26.
The school day timings are not published on the main website. The catchment is unusually wide, helped by an 11‑bus network serving areas from Harrow/Stanmore through to St Albans and Hemel Hempstead. Journey times for some exceed an hour each way.
The next Open Day for prospective Year 7 families takes place on Thursday 25 June 2026, 4.30pm to 8.30pm. This is the only opportunity to visit during the year; individual visits are not accommodated at other times. Contact the school directly for current open day arrangements.
Complex admissions. The layered entry system requires careful navigation. Academic and music tests are separate from the standard LA application, and the catchment postcode restrictions significantly limit who can access these selective routes. Families outside the WD, AL1-3, HP1-3 and HA6 postcodes have minimal chance of an academic or music place.
Transport distances. Some students travel over an hour each way. While the school community draws strength from its geographic diversity, long journeys are tiring, particularly for younger students.
Academic focus only. This is not a school for vocational courses or BTECs. Students better suited to practical or technical pathways may find alternatives more appropriate.
Post-GCSE attrition. Around a quarter of students leave after Year 11 for employment or vocational college. Those who remain form a strong sixth form cohort, but families should understand this pattern.
Open day access. With only one open day per year and no individual visits, families must plan carefully. Missing the June date means waiting a full year to see the school in action.
Parmiter's delivers a genuinely comprehensive education within a partially selective framework. The combination of academic selection, music aptitude places and proximity-based entry creates a student body mixing high ability with all-comers, and the school makes this work. Progress 8 scores demonstrate that students of all starting points thrive.
The 60 acres, outstanding Ofsted ratings, strong results and extensive co-curricular programme create an offering that rivals many independent schools, at no cost. The alumni list, from England cricketer Steven Finn to sports broadcaster Kelly Somers, hints at the range of paths students take from here.
Best suited to families within the catchment postcodes who value academic rigour alongside genuine breadth of opportunity. The main challenge is securing a place; for those who do, the educational experience is exceptional.
Parmiter's received Outstanding ratings in all categories from Ofsted in July 2024, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth form provision. The school ranks in the top 10% of schools in England for both GCSE and A-level outcomes. A Progress 8 score of +0.74 indicates students make well above average progress regardless of their starting point.
Applying requires three steps. First, register for the South West Herts Consortium tests (academic and/or music) between 1 April and 6 June 2025 for September 2026 entry. Second, complete the school's Supplementary Information Form. Third, submit the Common Application Form through Hertfordshire County Council by 31 October 2025. The academic test takes place in early September; music aptitude involves two rounds of auditions.
There is no single catchment boundary. Instead, 95% of academic and music places are reserved for candidates living within postcodes WD3-WD25, AL1-AL3, HP1-HP3 and HA6. The remaining 5% are open to candidates from anywhere. Proximity places (around 10% of total) and the overspill allocation are determined by straight-line distance from the school.
Yes. The sixth form accommodates around 392 students and achieved Outstanding in the 2024 Ofsted inspection. Entry requires 33 points from the best six GCSE results. Around 50-60 external students join each year from approximately 400 applicants. Most students take three A-levels plus the EPQ.
At GCSE in 2024, 59.3% of grades were 9-7, with an Attainment 8 score of 68.3. At A-level, 76.1% of grades were A*-B, with 49.7% at A*-A. The school ranks 283rd in England for GCSE and 262nd for A-level (FindMySchool rankings based on DfE data), placing it in the top 10% for both qualifications.
The school states that preparation for the academic tests is unnecessary, and the consortium has redesigned tests to reduce tutoring advantage. However, given the competition for 54 academic places from over 1,400 applicants, many families do arrange tutoring. The music aptitude test assesses innate musicality rather than instrumental proficiency.
Get in touch with the school directly
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