Ashlyns School
Foundation school · sixth form · 1,561 pupils
94% stayed in education · Attainment 8 57.9
Other independent school · independent
The Purcell School
- Pupils on roll
- 192of 220 places
- Free school meals
- —
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 35
- Ofsted
- Not covered by Ofsted school inspections
What the data says
The Department for Education has not published where The Purcell School’s Year 11 leavers went next (destination measures are not published for independent schools), so this page relies on the school’s results and subjects.
A level grades average B-, above the England average of B-; 3% of students achieved AAB or better including two facilitating subjects (England 18%). The largest A level subjects are Music, Music Technology and Fine Art.
54% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE in 2025 (England 45%). Attainment 8 is not comparable for independent schools, which often enter pupils for IGCSEs that the Department for Education does not count.
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.
The Department for Education has not published destination figures for this school (new school, small cohort or not a state-funded school).
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
No published destinations for sixth-form leavers yet.
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | The Purcell School | Hertfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 47.7 | 50.6 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 54% | 53% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 83% | 72% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 0% | 47% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.41 | 4.56 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | — | 18% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | — | 34.2 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | — | 54.1 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | — | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 35 | 100% | 88% | 34% | 22% | 94% |
| English Language | 31 | 89% | 89% | 29% | 20% | 94% |
| Combined Science | 31 | 89% | 65% | 48% | 9% | 94% |
| French | 16 | 46% | 18% | 63% | 29% | 100% |
| Fine Art | 14 | 40% | 9% | 43% | 28% | 93% |
| English Literature | 13 | 37% | 86% | 46% | 21% | 85% |
| German | 11 | 31% | 5% | 100% | 33% | 100% |
| Media Studies | 8 | 23% | 4% | 25% | 20% | 100% |
| Drama | 5 | 14% | 7% | — | 27% | — |
| Physics | 4 | 11% | 23% | — | 46% | — |
| Chemistry | 4 | 11% | 23% | — | 47% | — |
| Biology | 4 | 11% | 23% | — | 45% | — |
| Russian | 2 | 6% | 0% | — | 87% | — |
| Spanish | 1 | 3% | 19% | — | 27% | — |
| Chinese | 1 | 3% | 1% | — | 75% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theory of Music | 5 | 12% | — |
| Music performance: Group | 2 | 5% | — |
| Theory of Music | 2 | 5% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | The Purcell School | Hertfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 107 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 42 | 8,082 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | B- | B- | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 37.00 | 36.82 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | B- | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 3% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Music | 34 | 81% | 0% |
| Music Technology | 17 | 40% | 0% |
| Fine Art | 13 | 31% | 3% |
| English Literature | 8 | 19% | 11% |
| Drama | — | — | 2% |
| Photography | — | — | 3% |
| French | — | — | 1% |
| German | — | — | 0% |
| History | — | — | 13% |
| History of Art | — | — | 0% |
| Mathematics | — | — | 31% |
| Further Mathematics | — | — | 5% |
| Polish | — | — | 0% |
| Biology | — | — | 20% |
| Sociology | — | — | 13% |
| Chemistry | — | — | 17% |
Other secondary schools in Hertfordshire
Barclay Academy
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 1,044 pupils
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
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,722 pupils
98% stayed in education · Attainment 8 62.6
Birchwood High School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,417 pupils
85% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.1
Bishop's Hatfield Girls' School
Academy converter · sixth form · 942 pupils
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.