St Mary's RC High School is a mainstream secondary school in Hereford, Herefordshire, County of, for children and young people aged 11 to 16. In January 2026, 135 of its 745 pupils (18.1%) were getting SEN support and 33 (4.4%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–16
- 745 pupils
- Ofsted: Outstanding
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Herefordshire, County of.
18.1% get SEN support
135 of 745 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
Higher than the England average.
4.4% have an EHC plan
33 of 745 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Higher than the England average.
Most common needs
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia69
- Social, emotional and mental health49
- Autism14
- Speech, language and communication11
- Physical disability9
- Moderate learning difficulty7
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Voluntary aided school
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 745 (places for 675)
- Headteacher
- Mr Stuart Wetson
- Faith
- Roman Catholic
- Free school meals
- 10.3% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Herefordshire, County of
- School reference (URN)
- 116992
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Herefordshire, County of council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Outstanding, January 2019; standards maintained (December 2024)
Rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in January 2019. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: Standards maintained (ungraded inspection, December 2024).
Contact and getting there
Lugwardine, Hereford, HR1 4DR
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- The Bishop of Hereford's Bluecoat School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.1 miles
- Hampton Dene Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.3 miles
- The Beacon College Special school · Ages 16–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 1.4 miles
- Royal National College for the Blind Independent · Ages 16–99 1.9 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Lugwardine Primary Academy Primary · Ages 5–11 · SEN support 18.7%, EHC plans 4% 0.7 miles
- St Paul's CofE Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 13.4%, EHC plans 2.8% 1.1 miles
- Broadlands Primary School Primary · Ages 2–11 · SEN support 28%, EHC plans 3% 1.6 miles
All mainstream schools in Herefordshire, County of SEND schools in Herefordshire, County of
Questions about St Mary's RC High School
How many pupils at St Mary's RC High School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 135 of the 745 pupils (18.1%) were getting SEN support and 33 (4.4%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at St Mary's RC High School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (69 pupils), social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (49 pupils) and autism (14 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at St Mary's RC High School?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at St Mary's RC High School?
Through Herefordshire, County of council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to St Mary's RC High School?
You can ask for St Mary's RC High School to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does St Mary's RC High School have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is The Bishop of Hereford's Bluecoat School, about 1.1 miles away.
Where is St Mary's RC High School?
Lugwardine, Hereford, HR1 4DR, in Herefordshire, County of.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.