Ashlyns School
Foundation school · sixth form · 1,561 pupils
94% stayed in education · Attainment 8 57.9
Academy converter
The Highfield School
- Pupils on roll
- 937of 1,068 places
- Free school meals
- 27.0%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 171
- Ofsted
- Good, 17 May 2023Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: The Highfield School (URN 117537, until 1 November 2023).
What the data says
Of the 156 pupils who finished Year 11 at The Highfield School in 2023, 46% stayed on in The Highfield School’s own sixth form (Hertfordshire average 58%), 41% went to a further education college and 1% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 74 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 51% went to university (Hertfordshire 42%, England 37%), and 13% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Sociology is unusually popular at GCSE: 23% of the year group took it, against 4% of pupils across England.
GCSE results in 2025 were below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 41.7 against 46.1 across England and 50.6 in Hertfordshire, with 40% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Hertfordshire and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The Highfield School | Hertfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 156 | 14,400 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 94% | 95% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 90% | 92% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 46% | 58% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 3% | 2% | 13% |
| — further education college | 41% | 31% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 1% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 1% | 2% | 3% |
| Employment | 3% | 2% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 4% | 3% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 2% | 2% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The Highfield School | Hertfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 74 | 14,189 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 78% | 82% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 51% | 42% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 13% | 24% | 19% |
| Further education | 0% | 5% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 7% | 6% | 7% |
| Employment | 20% | 28% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 14% | 13% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | The Highfield School | Hertfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 41.7 | 50.6 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 40% | 53% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 55% | 72% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 23% | 47% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.55 | 4.56 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 26% | 18% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 31.8 | 34.2 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 45.2 | 54.1 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 8% | 16% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 168 | 98% | 89% | 7% | 20% | 63% |
| Mathematics | 168 | 98% | 88% | 14% | 22% | 64% |
| English Literature | 162 | 95% | 86% | 15% | 21% | 64% |
| Combined Science | 135 | 79% | 65% | 3% | 9% | 48% |
| Geography | 101 | 59% | 41% | 16% | 25% | 55% |
| Business Studies | 77 | 45% | 18% | 14% | 20% | 58% |
| History | 66 | 39% | 41% | 20% | 26% | 39% |
| Physical Education | 45 | 26% | 11% | 18% | 24% | 67% |
| Fine Art | 40 | 23% | 9% | 28% | 28% | 90% |
| Sociology | 40 | 23% | 4% | 20% | 21% | 60% |
| Biology | 33 | 19% | 23% | 48% | 45% | 94% |
| Chemistry | 31 | 18% | 23% | 55% | 47% | 100% |
| Physics | 31 | 18% | 23% | 58% | 46% | 100% |
| Computer Science | 24 | 14% | 13% | 38% | 30% | 63% |
| Media Studies | 23 | 13% | 4% | 4% | 20% | 48% |
| French | 21 | 12% | 18% | 19% | 29% | 71% |
| Photography | 21 | 12% | 6% | 10% | 19% | 81% |
| German | 21 | 12% | 5% | 24% | 33% | 76% |
| Design and Technology | 20 | 12% | 11% | 5% | 23% | 40% |
| Drama | 16 | 9% | 7% | 6% | 27% | 50% |
| Music | 10 | 6% | 5% | 0% | 33% | 30% |
| Textiles | 10 | 6% | 2% | 30% | 27% | 80% |
| Graphic Communication | 6 | 4% | 1% | 50% | 23% | 83% |
| Spanish | 2 | 1% | 19% | — | 27% | — |
| Art and Design | 1 | 1% | 7% | — | 24% | — |
| Polish | 1 | 1% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 52 | 70% | — |
| Multimedia | 12 | 16% | — |
| Sports Studies | 8 | 11% | — |
| Dance: General | 6 | 8% | — |
| Sports Studies | 1 | 1% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | The Highfield School | Hertfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 129 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 74 | 8,082 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C+ | B- | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 32.44 | 36.82 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | C+ | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 17% | 19% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 27 | 36% | 31% |
| Physics | 18 | 24% | 12% |
| Business Studies | 18 | 24% | 13% |
| Computer Science | 16 | 22% | 5% |
| Psychology | 16 | 22% | 23% |
| Geography | 13 | 18% | 10% |
| Economics | 9 | 12% | 13% |
| History | 9 | 12% | 13% |
| Further Mathematics | 8 | 11% | 5% |
| English Language | 7 | 9% | 4% |
| Sociology | 7 | 9% | 13% |
| Biology | 7 | 9% | 20% |
| Politics | 7 | 9% | 6% |
| Law | 6 | 8% | 4% |
| Physical Education | 6 | 8% | 3% |
| Photography | — | — | 3% |
| Fine Art | — | — | 3% |
| Music | — | — | 0% |
| Drama | — | — | 2% |
| Film Studies | — | — | 2% |
| English Literature | — | — | 11% |
| Chemistry | — | — | 17% |
| German | — | — | 0% |
| Textiles | — | — | 1% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 27 | 36% | — |
| Social Science | VRQ Level 3 | 15 | 20% | — |
| Mathematical Studies | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | 12 | 16% | — |
| Speech and Drama | VRQ Level 3 | 6 | 8% | — |
| Psychology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Psychology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Hertfordshire
Barclay Academy
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91% stayed in education · Attainment 8 49.5
Barnwell School
Foundation school · sixth form · 1,270 pupils
88% stayed in education · Attainment 8 41.5
Beaumont School
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Birchwood High School
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85% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.1
Bishop's Hatfield Girls' School
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97% stayed in education · Attainment 8 51.9
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.