The Priory School, Hitchin

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The Priory School
The Priory School Front Office.jpg
Location
The Priory School, Hitchin
Bedford Road

Hitchin
,
Hertfordshire
,
SG5 2UR

England
Information
Type Foundation school
MottoResponsibility, Respect, Resilience
Established1988
Local authority Hertfordshire
Department for Education URN 117499 Tables
Ofsted Reports
HeadteacherMatt Blayney
Gender Mixed
Age11to 18
Enrolment1206
Colour(s)Red, White, Black    
Website http://www.priory.herts.sch.uk/

The Priory School is a co-educational secondary school and sixth form located in Hitchin in the English county of Hertfordshire.

Contents

The Priory School is the only co-educational secondary school in Hitchin, the others being Hitchin Boys' School and Hitchin Girls' School. The Priory School is part of the Hitchin Consortium with Hitchin Boys’ School and Hitchin Girls’ School for Sixth Form.

History

View of the new Sixth Form block and main entrance to The Priory School, Hitchin. The Priory School, Hitchin.jpg
View of the new Sixth Form block and main entrance to The Priory School, Hitchin.

Hitchin High School for Girls was opened in 1954 by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and later in 1974 became Bowes Lyon and became co-educational after 1975. [1]

In 1988 it became a comprehensive school and renamed The Priory School after the amalgamation of Bowes Lyon and Hitchin School (Bessemer), but has since gained specialisms in Computing, Business and Enterprise. Previously a community school wholly operated by Hertfordshire County Council, in 2016 The Priory School converted to foundation school status. As a foundation school the governing body and senior leadership team have taken on extra responsibilities from Hertfordshire County Council in operating the school.

Former Headteacher of the school, Peter Loach, retired at the end of the 2013 summer term. He was succeeded by Geraint Edwards, previously the acting head of Marriotts School in Stevenage. In September 2025, Matt Blayney took over as Headteacher having served as a Deputy Headteacher at Saffron Walden County High School in Essex. [2] [3]

The Priory School was a member of the Stonewall scheme, and in 2017 was visited by actor Ian McKellen, who gave a talk about LGBTQ+ rights. [4] The school has a resident counsellor and sixteen staff members have been trained in mental health first aid. [5]

Facilities

The Priory School has a 25-foot climbing wall with a traverse section, a sports hall, gymnasium, floodlit Multi-Use Games Area, Netball pitched and dance studio. The school sits on approximately a 27 acre site. It also has a large 3G football pitch that is home to the Hitchin Belles Football team, the UK's biggest all-female football club. [6] [7]

Notable former pupils

References

  1. ↑ "Hitchin through the years: Old Hale Way School, Old Hale Way, Hitchin". 14 July 2015.
  2. ↑ patrick newman (19 April 2013). "Hitchin headteacher announces retirement - News". The Comet. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  3. ↑ "Hitchin school appoints new headteacher". The Comet. 20 January 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  4. ↑ Yousif, Layth. "Legendary Lord of the Rings actor gives inspirational talk to Hitchin pupils about LGBT equality". The Comet. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  5. ↑ "Supporting LGBTI pupils: 'It's important a school is ready for anyone'". 11 May 2017.
  6. ↑ "Facilities For Hire". www.priory.herts.sch.uk. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  7. ↑ "Hitchin Belles FC – The Biggest All-Female Football Club in the UK". Hitchin Belles FC. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  8. ↑ "The Player Bookazine Issue 19". 30 November 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
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