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catchment.school

Loreto College Catchment Area

Reviewed by the catchment.school editorial team · Last updated 15 March 2026

Loreto College is an academy converter secondary school in St Albans, Hertfordshire , serving pupils aged 11-18, with 930 pupils, and a capacity of 927 places. The school is currently at or above capacity, making catchment area proximity important for admissions.

11-18

Age range

930

Pupils

927

Capacity

100%

Fill rate

Loreto College Catchment Area Information

What is the catchment area for Loreto College?

The catchment area for Loreto College is the geographic zone Hertfordshire uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and, in most years, faith-based criteria. Hertfordshire publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.

Admission to Loreto College is managed by Hertfordshire and typically includes both faith criteria and catchment area proximity. The weighting given to each criterion depends on the school's published oversubscription policy, which is reviewed annually.

Currently oversubscribed: 930 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 927 places. Living within the catchment area is especially important for this school.

Not getting a place? Learn how to appeal a school place →

Want the cut-off distance before you apply? Get an alert when Hertfordshire publishes the 2027 Loreto College numbers →

The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Hertfordshire before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.

Find Hertfordshire catchment area documents →

Loreto College: at or above its 927 place limit

Loreto College has a published admission number of 927 places. 930 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 100%. The school is at or above its published limit of 927 places. Hertfordshire allocates places using ranked criteria: looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment distance. The last-distance figure is likely to remain tight if demand holds at this level.

The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 14.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, below the national average. The school draws primarily from a lower-deprivation part of St Albans.

To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.

Hertfordshire publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Hertfordshire Council school admissions (official) →

Loreto College: School Information

Full address
Hatfield Road, St Albans, AL1 3RQ
Local authority
Hertfordshire
School type
Academy converter
Phase of education
Secondary
Age range
11-18 years
Gender
Girls
Religious character
Roman Catholic
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Free school meals
14.1% of pupils
DfE URN
138106

Other Secondary Schools in St Albans

If Loreto College is oversubscribed, these secondary schools in St Albans are the next closest alternatives.

Other Roman Catholic Schools in Hertfordshire

Loreto College shares its religious character with these Roman Catholic schools across Hertfordshire. Faith criteria typically sit alongside catchment distance in each school's admissions policy.

Nearest secondary schools by distance

These are the secondary schools closest to Loreto College by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.

Frequently Asked Questions: Loreto College

What is the catchment area for Loreto College?

The catchment area for Loreto College is the geographic zone Hertfordshire uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and, in most years, faith-based criteria. Hertfordshire publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.

Is Loreto College oversubscribed?

Yes, Loreto College currently has 930 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 927 places. Catchment area proximity is an important admissions criterion when applying.

What is the admissions policy for Loreto College?

Loreto College uses both faith criteria and catchment area proximity in its admissions policy. The weighting is reviewed annually and published by Hertfordshire before each admissions cycle.

What age range does Loreto College cover?

Loreto College is a secondary school in St Albans, Hertfordshire, serving pupils aged 11-18. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.

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