Cardinal Pole Catholic School
N/A
Capacity
1,052
Pupils
N/A
Demand
About Cardinal Pole Catholic School
Cardinal Pole Catholic School is one of 18 state secondaries in Hackney, a borough where five schools hold an Outstanding Ofsted rating. The school ranks 12th in the local authority, placing it in the bottom half of Hackney’s secondaries when measured by Progress 8. Its closest Outstanding neighbour is Clapton Girls’ Academy, less than a kilometre away. The top three performers in the borough are Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy, Mossbourne Community Academy and Waterside Academy, all of which post significantly higher Progress 8 scores. Cardinal Pole’s own Progress 8 score of 0.15 is well below the Hackney average of 0.52, meaning pupils here make less academic progress than their peers across the borough. The school is a Roman Catholic secondary for mixed genders aged 11 to 19, with a sixth form, and is led by headteacher Adam Hall. Its most recent Ofsted inspection rated it Good overall, a rating it has held across its recent inspections.
At Key Stage 4, Cardinal Pole’s Attainment 8 score sits at 45.6, and 69.2 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. That figure drops to 36.1 per cent at the stronger grade 5 threshold. The school’s EBacc entry rate is high at 74.6 per cent, though only 30.2 per cent of pupils achieved the EBacc at grade 4 or above, and 21.3 per cent at grade 5. Progress 8 is positive overall at 0.15, but the picture varies by subject: pupils make strong progress in English (0.3) and open subjects (0.2), while progress in maths is slightly negative at -0.1. At A-level, the school’s value added score is -0.13, placing it in the Average banding. The average points per entry is 31.58, equivalent to a grade C, and the best three A-levels average out at a C grade. With 83 pupils in the sixth form, it’s a modestly sized post-16 cohort.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including a theatre, chapel, sixth form centre, science labs and music rooms. Sports provision is broad, with netball, rowing, rugby, martial arts and cricket among the options, and clubs extend to gardening, Model UN, coding and eco club. Cardinal Pole is oversubscribed in the local rankings context, sitting at the 75th percentile within Hackney, meaning it is a popular choice among Catholic families in the area. Its Progress 8 banding is Average, and its Ofsted rating is Good, so it suits families who prioritise a faith-based environment and a broad curriculum over top-tier academic outcomes. Those seeking the strongest local progress figures may want to look at the Mossbourne academies or Clapton Girls’ Academy, but Cardinal Pole offers a solid secondary experience with a clear religious character and a sixth form that keeps options open.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | 205 Morning Lane, London, Hackney, E9 6LG |
| Headteacher | Adam Hall |
| Local Authority | Hackney |
| Number of Pupils | 1,052 |
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.15)
1207th of 3,141
Nationally
313th of 487
In London
12th of 16
In Hackney
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
33.7
'22/23
32.4
'23/24
31.6
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where school leavers go
2022/2383%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 94 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
38%
Russell Group
46%
Top-third HE
2%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)83%
- Employment13%
- Not sustained2%
- Other education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Attendance & Behaviour
2023/2475% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
28
Total schools
23
Oversubscribed
19
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cardinal Pole Catholic School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
School Admissions Timeline 2026/27
Key dates for primary, secondary and nursery applications
School Open Days Calendar 2026/27
When open days happen and what to look for
Contact Information
205 Morning Lane, London
Hackney, E9 6LG
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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