Watford Grammar School for Girls A GSG School
- Watford Grammar School for Girls
Lady's Close
Watford
Hertfordshire
WD18 0AE - Head: Sylvia Tai
- T 01923 223403
- F 01923 350721
- E [email protected]
- W www.watfordgra…forgirls.org.uk
- A state school for girls aged from 11 to 18.
- Read about the best schools in Hertfordshire
- Boarding: No
- Local authority: Hertfordshire
- Pupils: 1,460; sixth formers: 418
- Religion: Non-denominational
- Open days: October
- Review: View The Good Schools Guide Review
-
Ofsted:
- Latest Overall effectiveness Outstanding 1
- 16-19 study programmes Outstanding 1
- Outcomes for children and learners Outstanding 1
- Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1
- Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1
- Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding 1
- 1 Full inspection 5th March 2024
- Ofsted report: View the Ofsted report
What The Good Schools Guide says..
Although only partially selective, the school’s fast pace and studious culture is best suited to more academic girls who enjoy learning. ‘Hard-working girls flourish here – it’s the reason people choose the school,’ said a parent. That’s not to say you have to be brilliant at everything – ‘My daughter struggled with maths and they’ve been amazing, but you absolutely have to want to push yourself.’ Maths and sciences do very well and are easily the most popular subjects at A level (good to see in a girls’ school), closely followed by psychology. Music is a very big deal, with some girls coming here on the back of their musical talent alone. Nearly every parent we spoke to said their daughter was involved in the department in one way or another. ‘Plenty of classical, but also contemporary,’ said one –
What the school says...
Watford Grammar School for Girls is a remarkable school. All the community take pride in its history, diversity and pursuit of knowledge. Our vision and aims provide a sense of direction for the school, whilst our values shape how we encourage each person in our community to act, grow and develop – and we hope they are shared by the families that choose to join WGGS. The pursuit of academic endeavour informs our curriculum and the outstanding teaching in every classroom, laboratory, workshop and sports area. ...Read more
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What The Good Schools Guide says
Headmistress
Since April 2018, Sylvia Tai, who joined the school in 2007 as assistant head and was promoted to deputy head (then acting head when the previous head left after just a year in post). Grew up locally, attending Langleybury School before studying geography at Liverpool then doing her PGCE at Oxford (‘I always wanted to teach – even as a young child I’d take my toys’ register!’). She also has an MA in education management from King’s College London and is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Previously taught at Mill Hill County High, St Albans Girls, Tring and schools in Botswana. Still teaches geography to year 7s – ‘I love the interaction and it stops me being remote.’
This is a head with presence. ‘She speaks, you listen,’ said...
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Overall school performance (for comparison or review only)
Results by exam and subject
Subject results
Entry/Exit
Special Education Needs
We maintain a register of more able pupils and one for gifted and talented pupils so that teachers are able to plan differentiated work and extension activities. The school has a learning support register with approximately 50 girls, the majority of whom have mild or very mild learning disorders such as dyslexia.
| Condition | Provision for in school |
|---|---|
| ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Might cover/be referred to as;
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Aspergers, Autism, High functioning autism, Neurodivergent, Neurodiversity, Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), PDA , Social skills, Sensory processing disorder |
Y |
| HI - Hearing Impairment
Might cover/be referred to as;
Hearing Impairment, HI - Hearing Impairment |
|
| MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty
Might cover/be referred to as;
Learning needs, MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty |
|
| MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment
Might cover/be referred to as;
MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment, Sensory processing |
|
| OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability
Might cover/be referred to as;
Downs Syndrome, Epilepsy, Genetic , OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability, Tics, Tourettes |
|
| PD - Physical Disability
Might cover/be referred to as;
PD - Physical Disability |
|
| PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty
Might cover/be referred to as;
Complex needs, Global delay, Global developmental delay, PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty |
|
| SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health
Might cover/be referred to as;
Anxiety , Complex needs, Emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA), Mental Health, SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Trauma |
Y |
| SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication
Might cover/be referred to as;
DLD - Developmental Language Disorder, Selective mutism, SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication |
|
| SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty
Might cover/be referred to as;
Complex needs, SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty, Cerebral Palsy (CP) |
|
| SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty
Might cover/be referred to as;
ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Auditory Processing, DCD, Developmental Co-ordination Difficulties (DCD), Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Handwriting, Other specific learning difficulty, SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) |
|
| VI - Visual Impairment
Might cover/be referred to as;
Special facilities for Visually Impaired, VI - Visual Impairment |
Interpreting catchment maps
The maps show in colour where the pupils at a school came from*. Red = most pupils to Blue = fewest.
Where the map is not coloured we have no record in the previous three years of any pupils being admitted from that location based on the options chosen.
For help and explanation of our catchment maps see: Catchment maps explained
Further reading
If there are more applicants to a school than it has places for, who gets in is determined by which applicants best fulfil the admissions criteria.
Admissions criteria are often complicated, and may change from year to year. The best source of information is usually the relevant local authority website, but once you have set your sights on a school it is a good idea to ask them how they see things panning out for the year that you are interested in.
Many schools admit children based on distance from the school or a fixed catchment area. For such schools, the cut-off distance will vary from year to year, especially if the school give priority to siblings, and the pattern will be of a central core with outliers (who will mostly be siblings). Schools that admit on the basis of academic or religious selection will have a much more scattered pattern.
*The coloured areas outlined in black are Census Output Areas. These are made up of a group of neighbouring postcodes, which accounts for their odd shapes. These provide an indication, but not a precise map, of the school’s catchment: always refer to local authority and school websites for precise information.
The 'hotter' the colour the more children have been admitted.
Children get into the school from here:
regularly
most years
quite often
infrequently
sometimes, but not in this year
Who came from where
| School | Year | Places |
|---|---|---|
| St Hilda's Preparatory School for Girls | 2024 | 4 |
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