Finchley Catholic High School
99%
Capacity
1,192
Pupils
2.5x
Demand
About Finchley Catholic High School
Finchley Catholic High School holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained consistently across its two most recent inspections, the most recent being an ungraded visit in 2023 that confirmed the school remains Good. The single most telling academic metric is its Progress 8 score of 0.94, which is classified as 'well above average' nationally. This places the school in the top 5% of all secondary schools in England and ranks it 7th out of 28 schools in Barnet. For context, the local authority average Progress 8 score is 0.6, so Finchley Catholic’s result significantly outstrips the typical progress made by pupils in Barnet. This strong showing is backed by an Attainment 8 score of 63.2 and a basics measure of 91% of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths, compared to 77.4% at the stronger grade 5 threshold.
Digging deeper into the exam results, the school’s performance is particularly strong across the English Baccalaureate subjects. The EBacc average point score sits at 5.62, and 45.2% of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects, with 39.5% achieving a grade 4 or above in all five components. The Progress 8 breakdown shows that pupils made the strongest progress in open subjects (1.06) and EBacc subjects (1.08), with slightly lower but still positive progress in maths (0.78) and English (0.74). At sixth form, the picture is more mixed. The value added score is -0.14, which is rated as 'below average', and the average points per entry is 34.19, equivalent to a C+ grade. The best three A-levels average grade is also C+, with 4.9% of entries achieving AAB or higher. This suggests that while the school excels at GCSE level, sixth form outcomes are less exceptional.
The school is a Roman Catholic boys’ secondary with a co-educational sixth form, and it is heavily oversubscribed. For the 2025/26 academic year, there were 441 applications for 180 places, a ratio of 2.45 applicants per place, with 137 offers going to first-preference applicants out of 156 who listed it first. Facilities include a theatre, chapel, sports hall, astro turf, and a dedicated sixth form centre. The school lists a wide range of SEND provisions, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and speech, language and communication needs. With 13.7% of pupils eligible for free school meals, it serves a reasonably diverse intake. This school will suit families who value strong academic progress at GCSE within a faith-based, single-sex environment, and who are prepared for a competitive admissions process. The sixth form, while functional, may not be the strongest draw for those seeking top A-level outcomes.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Boys |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Woodside Lane, London, Barnet, N12 8TA |
| Headteacher | Ciran Stapleton |
| Local Authority | Barnet |
| Number of Pupils | 1,192 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 13.7% |
| School Capacity | 1,192 / 1,200 (99% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
27 Sept 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (27 Sept 2023): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 28 Nov 2013. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.94)
104th of 3,141
Nationally
47th of 487
In London
7th of 28
In Barnet
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly 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
41.1
'22/23
36.8
'23/24
34.2
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
2022/2367%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 159 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
33%
Russell Group
38%
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)67%
- Employment16%
- Not sustained7%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Further education1%
- 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.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed180
441
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
156 families put this school as their 1st choice (35% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British38.9%
- White (other)20.1%
- Mixed10.3%
- Asian6.8%
- Black1.3%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Better than half of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
18
Total schools
14
Oversubscribed
12
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 Finchley Catholic High 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
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Woodside Lane, London
Barnet, N12 8TA
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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