Here is a look at the current Ofsted status of every mainstream secondary school in Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, Potters Bar, and the surrounding villages.
The education watchdog uses a four-point grading scale for inspection judgements: outstanding; good; requires improvement; and inadequate.
Under the current inspection framework, the lowest rating given for any of the five categories is used as the overall rating.
Many schools have been downgraded by Ofsted in recent years - in November 2022, Ofsted said that it had downgraded more than 80 per cent of the previously 'outstanding' schools it had inspected in 2021/22.
The inspectorate has been criticised recently following the death of Ruth Perry, a headteacher who killed herself after being told that her school in Reading was to be rated 'inadequate'.
In response to the criticism, Amanda Spielman, Ofsted's chief inspector, has said they "are making changes" but that the single-line grading system will continue.
Ofsted ratings for schools in our area are as follows:
Bishop's Hatfield Girls' School - Hatfield
Rating - Outstanding
Latest report - January 26, 2023
Stanborough School - Welwyn Garden City
Rating - Good
Latest report - March 7, 2023
Monk's Walk School - Welwyn Garden City
Rating - Good
Latest report - March 5, 2018
Ridgeway Academy - Welwyn Garden City
Rating - Requires Improvement
Latest report - March 9, 2023
Mount Grace School - Potters Bar
Rating - Requires Improvement
Latest report - December 14, 2022
Chancellor's School - Brookmans Park
Rating - N/A (school changed hands in 2019)
Latest report - July 4, 2019
Onslow St Audrey's School - Hatfield
No report
Dame Alice Owen's School - Potters Bar
No report
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