Richard Hale School

When there are more applications than places for 2027-28 (Year 7), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1. 1Boys looked after and previously looked after — Boys looked after and boys who were previously looked after, including those who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England, and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or a special guardianship order.
2. 2Sibling — Boys who have a sibling at the school at the time of application, unless the sibling is in the last year of the normal age-range of the school. A sibling must be on the roll of Richard Hale at the time the younger child starts. A sibling link will not be recognised for children living temporarily in the same house, e.g. a child who usually lives with one parent but has temporarily moved or a Child Looked After in a respite placement of a very short term or bridging foster placement.
3. 3Boys of staff at the school — Boys who have either a) A parent employed by the school as a member of staff on a permanent contract for a continuous period of two or more years at the date of application or b) A parent who has been recruited to a vacant post at the school for which there is a demonstrable skills shortage.
4. 4Boys in priority area - nearest school — Boys for whom Richard Hale is their nearest Hertfordshire school or academy that is non-faith and non partially selective, and which makes provision for boys. If more boys qualify under Rule 4 than there are places, the tiebreak would be those that live nearest the school.
5. 5Boys in priority area - not nearest school — Boys who live in the priority area for whom Richard Hale School is not the nearest Hertfordshire maintained non-faith, non-partially selective school or academy that makes provision for boys. If more boys qualify under Rule 5 than there are places available, places will be allocated to those who live nearest the school.
6. 6Boys outside priority area — Boys who live outside the priority area for whom Richard Hale School, places will be allocated to those who live nearest the school.

If two applications tie: If there is a need for a tie-breaker where two different addresses measure the same distance from a school, in the case of a block of flats for example, the lower door number will be deemed nearer as logically this will be on the ground floor and therefore closer. If there are two identical addresses of separate applicants, the tiebreak will be random. Every child entered onto the HCC admissions database has an individual random number assigned between 1 and 1 million, against each preference school. When there is a need for a final tie break the random number is used to allocate the place, with the lowest number given priority.

School's priority area comprises: Bayford, Bengeo Rural, Bramfield, Brickendon Liberty, Datchworth, Essendon, Great Amwell, Great Munden, Hertford, Hertford Heath, Hertingfordbury, Hunsdon, Little Berkhamsted, Little Munden, Sacombe, Stanstead Abbots, Stanstead St Margarets, Stapleford, Tewin, Thundridge, Ware, Wareside, Watton-at-Stone, Welwyn, Widford, Woolmer Green. Parish percentages apply to remaining places after Rules 1-3 applied. Multiple births exception applies. School will admit over PAN if necessary for Fair Access protocol or when a single twin/multiple birth child allocated last place.

Published by the admission authority. Meeting a criterion never guarantees a place — it sets the order places are offered in. Full detail, other entry points and previous years are on the Admissions tab.